


Dragon of Remnant: Volume 2

by MilesLangerman



Category: RWBY, 龍が如く | Ryuu ga Gotoku | Yakuza (Video Games)
Genre: Aged-Down Character(s), Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Angst, Anti-Faunus Racism (RWBY), Bullying, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Depression, Discrimination, Drama, Drug Use, F/F, F/M, Fights, Fluff and Angst, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-Volume 3 (RWBY), Racism, Romance, Self-Reflection, Violence, Volume 4 (RWBY), Volume 5 (RWBY), Wholesome, bad habits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 05:47:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 79,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26468182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilesLangerman/pseuds/MilesLangerman
Summary: After the Fall of Beacon, Kiryu suffers from depression and is unsure how to cope with the loss of friends and family. An encounter with someone forces him to seek out a certain faunus in Menagerie: a place no human should go to.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Sun Wukong, Kiryu Kazuma/Majima Goro, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 16





	1. New Breath of Air

The air was breathable for once. His lungs filled with the clean air of the ocean, a smile on his face. Kiryu found himself leaning against the railing of the front of the ship, a cigarette in hand. It was his way of settling his nerves for what was soon to come. With a puff of smoke coming out his mouth, Kiryu gazed at the ocean before him. It was rare he got to see the sea water, being cooped up in the city didn't bring him much opportunity to go swimming or do anything related to the beach. Still, with the warm sun shining down on him, Kiryu felt warm for once. His body felt like there was still life in him, slowly being revived by the warmth of the sun. 

Taking a moment to enjoy the peace and silence he had, Kiryu grew a smile that immediately faded when someone had tapped him on the shoulder. His head turned, a bit surprised when he realized the captain of this ship was just behind him. Oh great...

"You know we don't allow smoking on this ship, do you young man?" His voice wasn't mad or anything petty, but rather concerned like a father would be to their son. Kiryu shook his head, deciding to flick the cigarette into the ocean. Sure enough, that earned him a small frown from the captain. "So... what's your story? Its rare to find people sulking on this ship."

His story? Kiryu knew it was a lot to begin with, but how could he generalize it so he could share it? "Well... I suppose I can start by saying I'm looking for someone." A grin of amusement was now on the captain's face, having heard his response. "Looking for someone? Is that why you're heading to Menagerie?" He wasn't wrong. This ship was heading straight towards there, and given he was the only human passenger on board, it made sense why Kiryu was secluding himself from the other passengers. Slowly he gave a nod, answering the captain's question. His stomach began to growl, a small sigh of embarrassment coming out of the former yakuza.

A small laugh came out of the captain who smiled at the man. "Alright boy, let's get you something to eat. I can tell your stomach needs something." Just the way he spoke to him, it made Kiryu listen. He could tell there was a genuine concern from this man, but with the skill to lighten up the mood. Following behind, Kiryu found himself passing by other faunus passengers that gave him the cold look. It wasn't much of a surprise, they were already wary of him when he first boarded the ship.

Taking his seat at one of the booths inside the dining hall, Kiryu found himself sitting across the captain. Seems like he was hungry too. "You'll love the fish skillets here!" Just hearing that comment brought a bit of a smile to his face. Still, there was a look on his face, one that people could see if they really tried to. "...So, I can tell something's bothering you. The look in your eyes says it all."

His head perked up, bewildered by what he just heard. "My... eyes?" 

"Yep! I've met a lot of folks, and the one's that have your expression tells me there's some baggage you're carrying. Mind sharing with this old man?" The captain smiled, hands folded across the table. He wasn't hiding how interested he was in hearing Kiryu's story. A sigh came out, wondering how to spill the words. Before he could say anything, a young female faunus approached the booth, a notepad and pen in hand. "E-Excuse me, may I take your orders?"

Another laugh came out of the captain, which someone made the faunus blush nervously. "Ah pardon me. Young man, this here is Velvet. She's a new waitress here that's still learning the ropes." Hearing his introduction, Kiryu bowed his head towards the waitress, his voice calm and reserved. "Nice to meet you, I'm Kiryu."

"K-Kiryu... okay. What would you like to eat?" He didn't look at the menu once, but figured he'd go with the captain's words from earlier. "Er... a fish skillet, and some hot cocoa." 

"Make that two please, with some coffee."

Writing down their orders, Velvet bowed her head before leaving. It was clear she was still anxious when working. The captain watched her, letting out a small chuckle before turning to Kiryu. "Kiryu was it? What's your story?"

The next few minutes spent while waiting for their meals was about Kiryu transferring to Beacon Academy, how he met someone there along with her team, and how everything fell apart when Beacon fell. 

"...After that, I returned home... got myself into a bigger mess that involved my family... and I lost everyone. In the end, I had to take care of a young girl for the next few months." His eyes looked to the side, wondering how Haruka was doing at the orphanage. Hopefully she was okay...

"Sounds like you've lost everyone close to you. That little girl, she was your saving grace." The captain smiled, but in a warm manner. He wasn't making fun of Kiryu or trying to pity him, but was sympathetic in his pain. "...and here you are, on a voyage to find that Belladonna girl you mentioned."

The waitress would arrive with their cups and plates, setting everything down carefully. "H-Here you are, let me know if you need anything." With a nervous smile, Velvet took her leave. A small sigh escaped Kiryu, wondering if he was bothering the waitress just by his appearance alone. "...Sorry. I bet you don't get a lot of humans on this ship."

Cutting into his skillet, the captain shrugged. "Nah, she's always been nervous. While I do get some human passengers here and there, they're usually accompanied by a faunus. You're the first human I've seen going there alone." First human. That was kind of surprising to hear.

As the two ate their meals in silence, Kiryu perked his head up when the doors to the dining hall were kicked open. A large man, wearing aviator glasses, a purple blazer, and a business suit underneath, stomped through the hall. His steps heavy and intimidating to the workers and guests. He'd approach Velvet, leaning in rather close to her. "You. Where's the dance hall?"

"O-Out here to the left, just go s-straight down and you'll see it." Velvet was panicking, shaking as her anxiety shot up. She'd watch in relief as the man took his leave, going down the hall just as she instructed him to do. Clearly it caught the attention of the captain, who gestured for the waitress to come to him. "Y-Yes captain?"

"Just who was that man? I didn't see him board the ship earlier..."

"I don't know... he asked me for directions to the disco hall."

"Dance hall, hm?" Stroking his beard, the captain grew wary. He didn't allow stowaways on his ship, everyone had to be checked in. Maybe he just didn't see him earlier? Kiryu noticed the two seeming uneasy after what had transpired. "If you want, I can go talk to him." Hearing Kiryu's suggestion, the captain raised his brows in surprise. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want you to get hurt because of him."

A smile of confidence was on Kiryu's lips now. "Don't worry, I've dealt with guys like him." Slowly he stood up, having finished his meal just in time to check out the situation. The captain couldn't help but to smile, tipping his cap to the young man. "Alright, just report back once you've handled him. Today's lunch will be on me."

Exiting the dining hall, Kiryu began to walk down the same hall he was instructed to follow. The farther he walked, the louder the music got. It was muffled, but clearly present. Taking a right once he hit the corner, there was a pair of doors closed with two men in suits keeping guard. This had to be it. Casually Kiryu approached the two bouncers, a sigh coming out. "I'd like to enter."

"Where's your pass?"

"Pass..?" That threw him off. Since when did he need a pass for a club? Usually they'd have you pay a entrance fee. 

"Yeah, dummy. Where's your pass?" One of the bouncers spoke up. He had bull horns on his head, while the other had ears and a tail. 

Kiryu shook his head, clearly unaware he needed one just to enter a club. "I don't have one, where can I find one?" His response gave the two a moment to chuckle, their eyes turning to each other in amusement before turning back towards Kiryu. "You had to buy one before you boarded this ship, but you can always buy one."

Great... he had to buy one. Something told him this wasn't going to end well. "...How much?"

"Since you're a human..." One of the bouncers cupped his chin, thinking for a moment. "...It'll cost you 100,000 Lien." 

A look of unamusement was on Kiryu's face. He had two options: pay the stupidly expensive fee, or force his way through. "...Its because I'm human, aren't I?" The bouncers didn't bother to hide it. They clearly wanted his money because of his status. Talk about equality. "I'm not paying that much. Entrance fees are no where close to that cost."

"Well then tough fucking luck buddy! Find some other place to hang at." Tch, what an asshole this bouncer was. Kiryu glared at him, arms crossed. "I'm not going someplace else. I need to talk to someone in there."

"And I said you need a pass! Now pay up or fuck off." Now they were getting agitated, which only meant this could lead to one thing. "And if I don't?" His words were enough to set off the bouncers, just as he wanted.

"That's it, we'll have to escort you away if you're aren't going to pay!" One of the bouncer threw a fist at Kiryu, only to feel a punch connecting to his gut. It was enough to make one of the bouncers drop to their knees. The other bouncer panicked as he backed away momentarily. Before he could attempt to swing at Kiryu, his head was slammed against the wall before two punches were thrown to his gut. In just those ten seconds, Kiryu took down two beefy bouncers before pushing the doors open.

Inside was just like any other club: people were dancing, the music was booming, lights were moving everywhere, and drinks were being served. It reminded him of Kamurocho, but not in the manner he hoped. He was here for business, not leisure. At least the music was enjoyable as it shook the ground a bit.

His eyes searched for this man in purple, wondering where he could be sitting. He wasn't on the dance floor where the other faunus were busy partying. Looks like he'll have to gather info from someone. Approaching the empty counter, except for one person who was drinking, Kiryu took a seat to catch the bartender's attention. He'd notice the guest, walking over to Kiryu with a glass in hand. 

"And how may I help you today?"

"I'm looking for someone. He wears a purple coat and aviator glasses, do you know where he is?"

"Do I? It sounds like you're describing the Disco King. He should be at one of the tables where women are gathered." 

Disco King? That was a name that was all too familiar. Back then, Kiryu had to take one a group of Five Billionaires, one of them calling himself the Disco King. With a sigh, Kiryu thanked the bartender before making his way around the club. He kept an eye on the tables that were present. So far each table had a lot of people, none which held the Disco King. It was only til a few minutes had passed until he spotted a man sitting with tons of women. Booze, cigarettes, and ash tray, and some cash were present on the table. Yep, this had to be the man he was looking for. 

Walking up to them, Kiryu gazed down at the man, arms folded. "Hey! You and I need to talk." The music was loud, so he had to raise his voice. Hopefully this idiot heard him.

Looking up to whoever this man was, the Disco King leaned in, hearing Kiryu's words. "And why do I have to talk to a human like you?" What an asshole, he really was going to make this harder than necessary. 

"You were bothering some people on board and the captain is suspicious of you. He told me to come find you so we can talk about your behavior." Sure enough, his words made the Disco King laugh. He was a tall, buff man with kangaroo ears. "Oh yeah? And what if I don't comply?"

"We'll find out." Kiryu cracked his knuckles. He did not have the patience for these kind of people, and knew his fists would solve the problem. Of course, his gesture did startle the Disco King for a moment. "Woah woah! We don't have to throw hands buddy! If you want me to come with you, that's fine, but I've got one condition."

"...What is it?" He was already expecting what it would be.

"You have to beat me in a dance off."

"No." Nope. He had no patience for that. He just wanted to bring this idiot to the captain and rest. 

A click of the tongue, and the Disco King stood up in annoyance. "Well then I guess I ain't going!" Kiryu could only sigh. This guy didn't seem to want to fight, but he wasn't going unless he dueled him in a dance off. "...fine. I'll fight you in your dance battle." Hearing his answer was enough to get the Disco King excited. He'd begin to walk to the dance floor, followed by Kiryu as the faunus on the dance floor cleared away. They knew what was about to happen. "DJ! Play something funky!~" On cue, the DJ began to switch tracks, one that Kiryu actually liked. 

_Play I'm Gonna Make Her Mine - Miracle Johnson_

With the beat playing, the Disco King began to step along with the rhythm. He'd start off the dance battle as the crowd began to form. His legs moved in beat, his body grooving as his hands spun together. After a few seconds of dancing, he'd turn and point to Kiryu, now it was his turn to show his move.

With a sigh, Kiryu began to move towards the center of the dance floor. With a spin, he'd cover his face, only to pose as he pointed up to the ceiling in a charismatic fashion.

_I’m come from far away_  
_I had no idea why came to here_

The Disco King found himself snapping in beat with the rhythm, grinning as the crowd cheered for him.

_Even though I know just run way_  
_Day by day, I kept quaffing beer_

Kiryu waved his arms up and down, sort of gaining some attention. It was also a bit sad to look at, but he knew he had to amp things up if he were to win.

_I didn’t have dreams until my life_  
_Who can say where the road goes_

With style, the Disco King began to take the dance floor by jumping backward in the air, landing on his knee and calf in an attempt to do the vertical splits.

_I only believed this chaotic knife_  
_My heart was almost froze_

From outside, the music and cheering could be heard. Blake, who was on board the ship, had heard the noise now that her cat ears were free. She had thrown the bow away just a moment ago, so her hearing became more sensitive. Just what was going on inside?

_But I found her in the dance floor, oh baby_  
_She caught my eyes and take away the darkness of mind_

On cue, it was time to activate his fever time. Kiryu found himself planting a hand on the ground, only to spin on his shoulders before landing back on his feet. Just the speed and style of it earned him a larger cheer than the Disco King had earned throughout the entire song.

_I had a crush on her, some kind of thunderbolt_  
_Every day, every night_  
_She drives me crazy now_

Blake found herself entering the disco hall, slightly irritated from how loud the music was. Why was there a huge crowd cheering anyways? She'd step closer, ignoring the two unconscious bouncers. Somehow, deep inside she had a feeling who might be here.

_Now! Get up! Oh I’m gonna make her mine_  
_Now! Get up! Yeah she’s all mine_  
_Now! Get up! Oh I’m gonna make her mine_

Unable to keep up with Kiryu's movements, the Disco King felt himself becoming exhausted. Only snaps and steps could be given in the dance as Kiryu continued to dance, at one point jumping with a high kick before landing with a pose. Thank god Majima forced him to dance at the clubs, or he would've never been able to do this.

_I was born for fall in love with her_  
_No one can’t stop me_

With the song coming to an end, the crowd gave out one loud roar of applaud, startling Blake who had to cover her ears. Slowly she pushed through the crowd, wanting to see what the commotion was about, and there it was. Her heart skipped a beat, amber eyes focusing on that familiar figure in the grey suit.

"...You lost, Disco King. Now get up, I'm taking you to the captain." Kiryu spoke up, unaware Blake was watching him from the crowd. Just as he turned to face the exit, his eyes shot open. Blake was there, tears running down her face. His heart skipped a beat, unsure how to react after seeing her for the first time in months. Before he could take another step closer, Kiryu could only see the faunus running off fast as she could. "Blake! Tch..."

He turned back to the now-former Disco King, grabbing him by the collar to drag him out of the dance hall. The captain was there, which Kiryu could only push the Disco King towards to their feet. "Did you see a woman run out of here? Where is she?"

The look of worry on Kiryu amused the captain. "Seems like you found her. I saw her running outside to the west exit." Thank god he knew where she ran. Kiryu began to run after the exit, hoping he wouldn't lose her again. Pushing through the silver doors that led him outside, he looked both ways. Blake was there, leaning against the railing, her head buried into her arms. It was clear she was upset, but why exactly? Slowly he approached her, making sure to present himself as a friend. "...Blake."

"Why..." Her voice caught him off guard, making him stop in his next step. "Why are you here..?" She turned to him, a look of anger and sadness covering her tear-stained face.


	2. An Unexpected Reunion

Watching her cry before him, asking why he was here was terrible to hear. It was like Blake didn't want to see him, but wanted to at the same time. All he could do was look down, unsure what words he could say that would comfort the other. 

"...why... why Kiryu... why did you follow me here after what happened?" Blake wiped the tears from her face with the palms of her hands, looking up to him with eyes begging for an answer. She'd sniff, watching as the man before her reached into his back pocket. Kiryu held out the letter, covered in dried stains of blood that tainted the paper. Her eyes opened up, recognizing what it was. It was in the same green envelope Blake had given to him back at Beacon when he had won his fight against Cardin. More tears began to build up, followed by her hands taking the letter from her friend. "...y-you really kept this? All this time?" Kiryu gave a nod, his face remaining in a neutral expression. Before he knew it, Blake was pushed up against his chest, tears flowing out like waterwork as she cried into his shirt. It wasn't a happy cry, but one that you could easily tell she was in pain. Gulping at what he should do, Kiryu slowly lifted his arms to hug the faunus, hand rubbing the back of her head to soothe her nerves.

"... _I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry. I'm sorry_..." Her words were slightly muffled, her face hidden in his shirt. Kiryu continued to hold Blake in his embrace, a hand stroking her long raven hair. "Sssh... its okay. Its ok-"

" _Its not! Its not..."_ She pulled away, looking up to him with her face covered in tears. " _I-I was why you got hurt in the first place! Adam, that Amon guy, a-and... I never even responded to your messages!"_ Clearly in guilt, Blake clung to Kiryu's coat, wanting to hide herself in his clothes. "Blake..." Kiryu spoke up, his voice calm and soothing. "...Its fine. None of that was your fault. Amon? He had nothing to do with you, and Adam... he was part of the Fall of Beacon. That stuff was out of your control, but..." Hearing that last bit, Blake pulled away to look up at him, knowing full well he was going to say something that was her fault. "...I really needed you, and you didn't bother to say anything. I... I was going through so much back at home, your letter was one of the few things I had to keep me going." Hearing his words, Blake couldn't help but to look down from him, her ears drooping. "...Just promise me you won't do that again, okay?"

With a sniff, Blake stepped back, nodding her head as she tried to wipe her face clean. "...O-Okay... sorry about your shirt by the way..." 

"Hm? Oh... don't worry about it." Kiryu smiled as he leaned against the railing, now happy that he had the chance to see Blake and ask her all the questions he needed answers to. "...Why'd you leave?" There was the big question, the one that made her heart skip a beat out of anxiety. "...I-I... I had to... Adam told me he was going to hurt everyone I cared about... a-and he knows about you and Yang. So I fled..." Her eyes could only look at Kiryu's for a split second before turning away, worried he was going to yell at her.

Kiryu frowned, deciding to pat the other's head. "H-Huh?" Blake moved away for a moment, only to recognize what he was doing. For once, she felt comfort. "...Thank you, for trying to protect me. I... do have some bad news though..."

"Bad news..?" She looked up to him, her cheeks tainted pink from how good it felt to be petted. Retracting his hand, Kiryu took a deep breath. "...Amon came back for me in Kamurocho. He told me he's working under Adam now, and he was going to hunt you down too." Just hearing that, it made Blake frown even more. "...so I ran away for nothing." She gave out a sigh, closing her eyes tight to suppress anymore tears. With a sigh of annoyance, Kiryu began to pet Blake once more. "Oi, enough with the tears. You should be happy I'm here and healthy. Just as much as I'm happy to see you." Looking up to him, Blake felt her ears perking up as she noticed his smile. He was right, Kiryu was here right now and that's all that mattered. "...Okay. Yeah, um... so what have you been up to?"

...

Her eyes gazed at him with pity. The poor man... "I... Kiryu I had no idea what you were going through..." It just made all the guilt in her chest become heavier. Had she responded once, maybe she could've made some of his worries fade away. She could've been the light in his dark world. Kiryu sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "...yeah, well... the only good news is that Haruka is safe and sound at the orphanage I grew up in. She doesn't know how long I'll be gone, but I promised to keep in touch with her." Blake smiled at the news of his promise, but deep down it reminded her how she neglected him. She couldn't easily shake that off. "...well, I'm glad Haruka has someone like you to talk to." She tried to smile, but couldn't. Her head turned away, noticing it was now sunset. A soft sigh came out before she looked up. There was someone in a brown robe staring down at her. On instinct, Blake took out her weapon, already prepared to fight. "Who's there?!" 

Kiryu wasn't sure who she was talking to, nor why she pulled out her weapon. When he tried to look at where she was staring at, there was nothing to see. Nobody was there. "...Blake what are you looking at?"

"Someone was staring at-" The ship suddenly rocked, causing the two to stumble. "Agh, what now?!" She peered over to the ocean, only to cover her ears as the alarm went off. In front of the ship was a large dragon Grimm, something that made Kiryu gaze somewhat in awe. He'd watch as Blake rushed in, hopping onto the railing and into the sky. Her semblance would activate, a clone throwing her closer to the Grimm. For now, Kiryu knew he had to stay back and watch. He didn't possess the same level of agility Blake had.

The sides of the ship began to lower their wooden covers, exposing a row of cannons that fired explosive rounds at the Grimm flying through the air. As it flew to the front, a heavy cannon and harpoon launcher rose to the deck's surface. Both mechanisms aimed at the Water Grimm, firing shots and harpoons that missed. The captain growled, ordering his shipmates to prepare the engines as the Grimm flew away for a moment. Its head turned to fire a ball of energy at the weaponry, landing a hit onto the harpoon launcher.

"Harpoon Launcher is no longer on auto-pilot, sir!"

"Dammit..!" Thinking of whoever could manually control the harpoon launcher, the Captain took notice of Kiryu who was standing around. "You there! If you can man the harpoon launcher, we'll have a shot at taking down this beast!" His words were enough to convince Kiryu to take control of the weaponry. Hopping into its seat, Kiryu gulped at the sight of the controls. "...Levers... triggers... this shouldn't be too bad." He took a deep breath before aiming the harpoon launcher towards the Water Grimm.

Blake in the meantime was busy hopping from rock to rock at the small islands nearby as the Grimm flew around, now with its wings out, trying to attack her. Just as Blake stopped hopping to catch her breath, she'd turn to see the Grimm about to fire a blast of energy at her, only to turn when it was struck by multiple harpoons. Turning around, it decided to aim its beam at the ship instead. The person in the brown cloak from earlier hopped down from the top deck onto the harpoon launcher, removing it to expose who it was.

"...Sun?!" Kiryu was surprised to see the faunus, watching as he activated his semblance to send two golden clones of itself to pull on the Grimm's whiskers to turn its head away. The beam was shot into the air, a large attack that would have destroyed the ship completely if it weren't for the monkey. "Heh, betcha didn't expect me to come here, did ya?"

Blake had managed to return to the ship, eyes glaring at the faunus standing on top of the harpoon launcher. "What are _you_ doing here?!" 

"Me? I'm here to take down this monster!" Hearing Sun's words only bothered her further until she heard the captain calling for her attention. "Hey! If you guys could clip it's wings, we might be able to land a perfect shot!" His idea did seem sound, but Blake knew this meant she had to do it.

"You're the one with the swords." Sun could only shrug at the idea, earning a glare from Blake who began to hop onto the railing and into the air, with help from Sun's semblance to throw her up to the Grimm. As she landed on its head, Blake fired a few bullets into it's eyes before she was thrown upwards. Careful to dive to one of its wings, she dug her blade into one of the wings, now running downwards towards the ocean as she sliced the wing in half. The trick did seem to work as the Grimm now descended right above the sea, while Blake fell towards one of the small islands. She'd try to land on her feet like a cat would, but instead was saved by Sun who caught her in time. Sure enough, he did try to make a comment. "C'mon, you know you wanna say it!" 

"Ugh..." She pushed his head away, only to feel the rock they were on now crumbling to the water as the Grimm bashed through the island they were on. As Blake and Sun fled from the Grimm, Kiryu focused on firing the harpoons into its body. He knew they were weakening its body, as it wasn't flying as fast as before. "C'mon... c'mon..!" He continued firing rapidly, grinning as he managed to shoot a harpoon through one of its smaller wings. With the two faunus hiding behind one of the bigger islands, the Grimm stopped to see them trapped with nowhere to go. A ball of energy began to charge up inside its mouth, only to stop as the ship rammed the Grimm against the rock behind it. Kiryu stopped firing, raising his hands to cover his ears just before the heavy cannon fired a round perfectly onto the body of the Grimm. The explosive round was damaging enough to remove the entire top half of the Grimm, it's body vanishing.

With a deep sigh of relief, Kiryu wiped his face. "...That was too much..." A sudden yell followed by a slap startled the former yakuza, wondering what the other two were doing. He'd step off the harpoon launcher, watching as Blake and Sun returned on deck. Kiryu smiled, only to raise a brow as to why Sun had a huge red mark on his face. "...a-are you two okay?"

"Hell no! She slapped-"

"Shut it, Sun!" With a deep breath, Blake calmed herself before approaching Kiryu. "Are you alright?" Seeing her companion nod in response, Blake grew a smile of relief. She'd look up to the top deck, seeing the captain and other passengers cheering for them. Sun walked past the two to accept their thanks, something that made Kiryu chuckle in amusement before he turned back towards Blake. "I never expected to see you flying through the air like that. How'd you do it?"

"O-Oh, well..." She'd look to the side, unsure how to explain. "I guess I trained a lot as a huntress, that's all." She smiled, looking back at Kiryu. From behind, the captain approached the two, a smile on his face. "Well I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed. You three helped to save not just this ship, but everyone on board! Dinner is on the house tonight, captain's orders." Just hearing that made Blake perk up. "On the house? S-So... like I can eat all the fish I want, right?" Seeing the captain nod, Blake's felt her eyes opening up wide. "I'll be right back... There's fish I have to see." Watching how Blake quickly rushed to the dining hall, Kiryu shook his head in amusement. For now he needed a cigarette to soothe himself. Taking out his cigarette and lighter, his eyes looked up to see the captain staring at him. "You know that doesn't excuse you from smoking, now go join your friend and fill your stomach." 

Kiryu gave a sigh, deciding it was for the best. Approaching Sun, he'd tap the faunus' shoulder. "Oi, let's grab some dinner. Captain said its on the house." Just hearing those words were enough to sway Sun away from the women he was speaking to. "Sorry ladies! I gotta eat, and don't worry! We'll be here." He'd grin, now facing Kiryu as the two walked together. "So how've you been man? Long time no see!"

"Ah.. its been... rough to say. Things didn't get better at home, but here I am now..." Kiryu walked into the dining hall with Sun, looking for a small booth to sit at. Sun tapped at his shoulder, pointing to where Blake was sitting. She waved at the two, smiling mainly at Kiryu and glaring at Sun when they took their seats. Sun raised a brow at the other. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like _what?"_ Blake's voice didn't sound too happy towards the other faunus, her arms crossed under her chest. 

"L-Like that! I mean, you aren't happy to see me like Kiryu is! Right?" He turned to his male companion for reassurance, only to earn a shake of the head. 

"Sun... why did you follow me here?" 

"Follow you? I followed Kiryu here!" Kiryu turned his head, concerned as to when Sun started following him. "...and when did you follow me?" 

"Oh, it was when you were in town where the ship was docked at." Sun turned to see Blake groaning, her hands rubbing her temples. "Sun... you can't just follow people. Why are you even here?" She wanted to be alone, and here she was with Sun and Kiryu. Well... she didn't mind Kiryu, but Sun's presence did bother her. Deciding to ignore the two, Kiryu took out his scroll and opened a small gacha app he had downloaded. For now, he'd let Blake and Sun sort their things out.

"I'm not here to fight anyone, Sun. I'm here to go home, to rest and catch my thoughts... you being here doesn't exactly help that."

"Oh really? Then why aren't you mad at Kiryu then, huh? Explain that!" His retort did catch Blake off guard. "Hm? You said my name?" Looking up from his phone, Kiryu wondered why his name was called. Sun sighed as he leaned back in his seat. Blake didn't have an answer, deep down she knew it was too complicated to say. "He's... ugh... nevermind..." Her head leaned back against her seat, now exhausted to continue this discussion even further. 

One of her ears perked up when a waitress approached the three. "Good evening you three!~ I'll be helping you tonight, may I take your order?" Rubbing his hands together, Sun already knew what he wanted. "Oh man, I could go for some lobster, with a glass of lemonade!"

Kiryu tucked his scroll away, deciding to order some sushi with a bottle of sake. As for Blake, she surprisingly ordered a regular plate of fish and a soft drink. "Coming right up!~" The waitress took down their orders before walking off. As for Sun, he smiled as he gazed over the two. "How about we take this dinner as a moment to celebrate, yeah?"

"Sure." Blake sighed, deciding to smile a bit.

"Sounds fine by me." Kiryu smiled, knowing he was about to have dinner with friends who cared about him.

* * *

The ship came to a stop at the Menagerie seaport. Everyone on board began to walk off with their luggage. From behind, Kiryu and his friends waved at the captain as they stepped off the ship. He turned to see Blake, who was somewhat anxious. "...everything okay?" She turned to him, nodding her head in a soft manner. "Y-Yeah... I'm just worried..."

"Worried about what?" He'd raise a brow, wondering if there was something about this place that shook her nerves a bit. Blake felt her chest beating, knowing this was the first time she was going to see them in a long time. "...My parents live here, and I haven't seen them in a while. When I last saw them, I shouted at them and said things I shouldn't have said..." It was clear she needed some pillar of support to stand on. Her body was shaking a bit, a clear sign she was scared. Kiryu took the chance to pet her on the head. Like he expected, Blake did stop shaking, only for her to look up at him with a smile. "...you don't have to pet me, y'know?"

Of course, he couldn't help himself. In a way, it was for Kiryu's own personal interest. He did like cats, and she _was_ a cat faunus, but he'd keep that to himself. "You're right, but it works at keeping you calm, doesn't it?" His comment earned him a smile from Blake, who surprisingly pushed up against his hand on instinct before pulling away. Sun was there watching the two, grinning at the both of them. "Hey, we got a house to visit, don't we?" He was right, they had to stop goofing off and find Blake's house. "Right... just follow me then." Blake began to walk, both men following behind her.

The more they walked into the village, the more on edge Kiryu began to feel. Eyes were staring at him, the atmosphere felt tense. He felt... alone. Sure, Blake and Sun were there to be at his side, but it didn't mean he felt like an outcast. He was the only human in Menagerie after all. Just as the three were walking, Kiryu followed behind as he heard Blake explain the history of Menagerie to Sun. Faunus were segregated from the rest of the world and placed into this small tiny island that was _2/3rds_ desert, leaving everyone cramped in the only living space available. It was saddening, since none of the faunus seemed to be happy here. Kiryu noticed it, the looks on their faces. Everyone was just tired and wanted to be left alone. 

Just as he was walking, a hand grabbed him by the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "...Hey, why is there a human here?" One of the faunus spoke up, catching the attention of Blake and Sun. Kiryu gave out a sigh, removing the faunus' hand from his shoulder. "I'm here with these two, I'm not here to cause any trouble." Of course, this earned him a scowl from the villager. "Oh yeah? Didn't you read the sign that says _no humans allowed here_ _?_ Or are you blind to see me?"

"Hey, knock it off man! He's our friend!" Sun had to step in, moving between the two. 

"Friend or not, no humans are allowed here! Not after how they treated us faunus, you should know that!" 

Blake felt herself taking a deep breath. She couldn't afford to run, she had to save Kiryu from this mess. "Look, I know the faunus have dealt with a lot of discrimination, but we can both vouch that this man here cares for the faunus. He's not here to hurt anyone!" 

"And you think he won't hurt anyone yet?!" His words threw Blake off. Kiryu wouldn't hurt anyone for no good reason... right? 

Before the villager could step closer to Blake, Kiryu placed a hand between the two, pushing him away. "Look, we've already stated-"

"Don't touch me you prick!" The villager was quick to punch Kiryu in the face, only to freeze when his punch didn't seem to make the man flinch at all. As much as he wanted to throw hands at this guy, Kiryu had to muster up all his self control. He couldn't afford to make himself look worse than he already was just by being here. 

"Kiryu let's just-" Before Blake could grab his hand to move him away, her eyes noticed more faunus approaching the scene. Some were cracking their knuckles, other carried baseball bats and other weapons. "...h-hey guys? We're _really_ not here to hurt anyone!" Sun began to feel himself panicking a little.

"So, you wanna mess up our home too huh? Is that it?"

"Came back to take what's our's? We ain't going to let you!"

All of this, it was too familiar. Kiryu knew what was going to happen. "...these thugs aren't going to listen to reason. Blake, where's your house?" Hearing his words, she knew he was right. These goons weren't going to listen, and it hurt knowing they had a reason to. "...Its the big house down at the end of the street. Why?"

"Because we're going to have to fight our way there." Kiryu's words were enough to stir up Blake's anxiety. She didn't want to fight anyone, especially her own kind, but still she had to protect him. "...O-Okay. I'm with you."

"Count me in. You guys want an ass whooping? I'm offering them for free right now!" Sun took out his staff, glaring at the thugs that began to charge at them. Quickly he'd knock one to the ground, watching as another ran up just to get hit in the face. Kiryu took care of grabbing and tossing one of the thugs back at the others, while Blake made quick work in taking some out using her semblance. "Let's run!"

The trio began to run towards the mansion, stopped when more thugs appeared out of the alleyways to block their path. Kiryu grabbed a nearby bike, using it to swing it across the large group of faunus blocking their way. With one of them knocked to the ground, he'd slam the bike down onto them before jumping onto it, knocking the thug out of commission.

"Oh man! That was brutal!" Sun couldn't help but to laugh as he whipped a few thugs away. Blake shoved one towards Kiryu, only to shout out his name. Taking notice, Kiryu turned to kick at the thug's head, Blake mirroring the attack so the thug was kicked on both sides of his head. With most of the thugs taken care of, they quickly began to run. The closer they got towards the mansion, the more thugs appeared. At one point, a thug grabbed Kiryu and pulled him into the alleyway during the fight. Forced to flee as the thug tried to attack him with a bat in an enclosed space, Kiryu found himself stumbling into the marketplace. He'd turn his head towards the thugs now chasing him, leaving him with no option but to run.

"Hey Blake? Where's our buddy?" Sun looked around, noticing Kiryu wasn't around. Blake took notice and looked around after she finished putting down another thug. "H-Huh? Oh no... Quick! We have to find him!" Blake felt her heart beating fast, worried about what was happening to her companion. She'd rush into the marketplace, noticing a mess had occurred. "Sun! He must've ran through here! C'mon!"

As Blake and Sun followed the thugs they'd see running up ahead, Kiryu was pushing his way through the crowds of the locals, trying to escape the group of mobsters chasing after him. "Move! Move! Get out of the way!" He'd push through, rushing to the direction of the mansion Blake mentioned. Turning into another enclosed alleyway, Kiryu found himself becoming surrounded by more thugs. Just how many were there? Every exit was covered, leaving him no choice but to defend himself. 

One of the thugs rushed in to deck Kiryu in the face, only to be kicked away. Another swung their bat, only to miss when Kiryu backed away. Grabbing a small trash bin, Kiryu began to bash it against the faunus surrounding him. It was pathetic, to be ganged up on like this just within 15 minutes of arriving. A bat to his back forced the ex-yakuza onto his hands and knees, only for a barrage of kicks to come crashing down onto him.

"Kiryu! Where are-?!" Blake stopped shouting as she heard him yell out near an alleyway. Her body ran without hesitation, worried he was getting beat up. Of course, that fear came true as she noticed a group of faunus kicking down on Kiryu. " _Get away from him!"_ She charged in, using her semblance to thrust herself towards the group to kick them away. Sun followed behind, using his staff to knock away the thugs that were beating him down. Kiryu slowly picked himself back up, spitting out some blood as he received a lot of damage. Just as he looked up, a larger faunus was rushing in to punt his head with their boot. Before the attack connected, Kiryu found himself suddenly moved a few feet away, with Blake clinging onto him. 

"What just-"

"My semblance, let's get you out of here!" Blake was scared, seeing how ruthless these faunus were behaving towards Kiryu, all because he was a human. Lifted to his feet, Kiryu shook off his pain and made a beeline back towards the main road with Blake and Sun. The three didn't have the time nor energy to put down every thug chasing after them. They ran down the main road, less thugs pursuing them the closer they got to the house, with Sun keeping an eye behind them while Blake stood close to help support Kiryu in case he was about to fall. He wasn't running evenly, given he just got his ass kicked by a load of faunus.

"Okay! They've stopped following us, are we here yet? Sun turned around, noticing the three had made it to Blake's house. Kiryu had tried to stand up straight, his face bruised and bloodied, but not to a severe degree. It shocked Blake to the core, her eyes watering from how badly hurt he was. "Kiryu... I-I didn't know how rough this place was going to be... the faunus here, they normally don't act like this, I-I'm so sorry..." She hugged him, knowing somehow this was her fault. 

Kiryu took a few breaths to calm himself, his hand slowly pushing Blake's chin up so she could see him. "I'll be fine... I've had worse..." Somehow, seeing his smile took away some of the guilt she had in her, but it didn't remove all her worries. "...a-alright... I just don't know how my parents will react to seeing you like this. M-Maybe... my mom could patch you up." Blake turned to the entrance of the mansion, gently knocking on the wooden door. A loud boom was heard, followed by the large door opening with a faunus similar to Blake's appearance standing there. 

Her eyes widened, seeing the three guests at her house. "...Blake? Is that you?" Just hearing those words, it made Blake blush before nodding. "Y-Yeah... hi mom." Before she could react, the faunus felt herself being hugged by her mother's embrace. It was enough to just make all the worries in the world go away, her heart becoming warm as she felt a wave of comfort washing over her. She'd return the hug, smiling in a sense of guilt.

"My dear... its been so long since I've seen you... what happened? You three look dirty!"

"Mom.. I... I don't want you to get the wrong idea... but we were just attacked. Um..." She gulped, her heart skipping a beat as her father stepped into the scene.

The larger man was known to be Blake's father. His size was already intimidating for Sun and Kiryu. "Blake is that you?" He approached the front entrance, curious as to why the three looked so tired, especially the human who was bloodied. His eyes gazed down at him, wondering if he was bad news. "...who are these two gentlemen?"

Just by the tone of his voice, it sent a shiver down Sun's spine. "U-Uh, hi sir! Nice to meet you. I'm Sun Wukong, a friend of Blake." As for Kiryu, he was already starting to feel tunnel vision. Was he really hurt that bad? His hearing was muffled.

"Kiryu. Kiryu?" Blake shook his arm, wondering if he was okay. "Mom, Dad, can we patch him up? He was attacked by the faunus out in the village." A clear look of worry was enough to convince her parents to take the injured human inside. Carefully, Blake and Sun moved him into the guest bedroom and onto the bed. 

"Stay here, I'll grab the medical supplies." Blake's mother wandered off, leaving the three alone. Blake watched as Kiryu had fallen asleep, knowing deep down something was off. "...Kiryu... I'm so sorry..." 

"...its really messed up what just happened. Those guys we fought definitely aren't regular faunus. They wanted to murder him." Sun sighed as he placed his staff against the wall, watching as Blake's mother entered the room with a basket full of medical necessities. 

"Quick honey, lets take off his shirt and see if there's any bruising or cuts." 

"U-Uh... right..." Blake proceeded to remove Kiryu's coat, and unbutton his shirt. It was a bit embarrassing, but she knew it wasn't for any reason other than patching him up. 

The remainder of the hour would be spent with Blake and her mother cleaning Kiryu of his blood stained on his face while bandages were applied in the appropriate areas. It was sort of a surprise when Blake's mother noticed the tattoo on his back, but she decided to keep quiet about it. "Well... it seems he'll just have to rest. Luckily he wasn't severely hurt."

"Oh thank goodness..." Blake gave out a long sigh as she rested her head next to her friend, closing her eyes to rest a little.

Turning to Sun, Blake's mother smiled at the faunus. "By the way, sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Kali Belladonna." 

"Kali huh? I'll stick to Blake's mom if that's fine?" He smiled in return. Something about her smile just made him feel relaxed.

"Suit yourself. I'll let your father know that everything is fine now, okay Blake?" Kali smiled, watching as Blake had fallen asleep so suddenly. "...pfft, tired girl. You rest up, Sun. I'll bring tea shortly." Kali stepped out of the guest room, only for her husband to step inside moments later once Kali had told him what had happened.

"...Is everything okay in here? How is he?" Blake's father stepped inside quietly, not wanting to disturb the slumber of his guest. Sun smiled as he was sitting down against the wall, his legs crossed with his staff next to him. "Everything's going fine. Blake's asleep, and our man here just got patched up." Just hearing that was enough to settle down the nerves of Blake's father. "Good, good. Before I forget, I'm Blake's father. Ghira Belladonna. If you need anything, please let my wife know." He stepped outside, deciding to leave the kids rest for now.

* * *

His eyes began to open, his consciousness coming back as the sounds of talking were heard nearby. Kiryu felt an immense amount of soreness throughout his body. Trying to sit up, he'd noticed the bandages over his torso and arms. His shirt was undone too. With a deep breath, he tried to collect his thoughts from what happened earlier, followed by him collecting his surroundings. So far he was in a bedroom, that must mean he was safe now.

Stepping out of the room with his red shirt buttoned and tucked into his pants, Kiryu carefully made his way to the source of chatter he heard. Slowly turning the corner in one of the hallways, he'd notice Blake and her family sitting down at a small table. She'd notice his presence, enough to make her smile. "Hey, are you feeling any better?

"Y-Yeah... I'm fine." Carefully he took a seat beside Blake, gazing at Kali and Ghira. With nothing but silence to fill the awkward void between them, Kiryu gently bowed his head. "Thank you, for taking care of me."

"Oh, its no worry my dear. All I did was have Blake bandage you up while I cleaned you up with a towel." Kali smiled as she poured a cup for him. "Thank you." Kiryu took his drink and carefully sipped it. The fresh hot tea was something he needed.

Ghira cleared his throat, deciding it was his turn to speak. "Well, I'm happy to see you're doing well Young Kiryu. My daughter has been telling us who you were and what had happened. I'm... very sorry you had to be welcomed to our home in such a ruthless manner." He frowned, wondering why the faunus would go to such lengths to express their hatred of humans.

"Mm... its fine. I had Blake and Sun to protect me. I'm... guessing me being human must be uncomfortable for you as well."

"Oh no no! I welcome any guest, regardless if they're human or faunus. Believe me." Ghira gave out a short chuckle, hoping that would settle Kiryu's nerves.

"Anyways... Allow us to introduce ourselves, Kiryu. I'm Blake's mother, Kali. This here is my husband, Ghira. He was once the former leader of the White Fang."

"Former leader..?" That was a surprise, he didn't expect to meet someone who was once part of the extremist group. The look on his face was enough to tell Blake he was possibly uncomfortable with the status. "Oh, don't worry. He was in the White Fang before they started... becoming violent. He's a good man." A sigh of relief came out of him, well that was good to hear. If anything, he was just worried that her parents wouldn't accept him for his status.

"So... Kiryu. Mind telling us a bit about yourself?" Ghira was interested. Of all people to bring home, Blake brought a human friend. There had to be some special meaning behind it, right? " It was odd to try and figure out what to tell her parents. For starters, there'd be no way he'd mention anything about his role as a yakuza member. That itself was already taboo to be shared. "...I was a transfer to Beacon Academy. Blake and I met when I first arrived, since then we've hung out and watched each others' battles at the Vytal Festival." 

"And what brings you here to Menagerie? This place isn't exactly meant for humans..." Kali asked, a bit concerned for his reasoning. Of course, Kiryu couldn't exactly reveal the full details. There was the letter Blake had given him, and there was Amon searching for her. Guess he'd have to go for the former. "Blake suggested I come here when she gave me a gift from one of my battles."

"I see, you're quite brave to accept an invitation like that. It must mean our daughter must like you a lot." Kali couldn't help but to tease her daughter, watching as Blake turned to her in embarrassment. "...mom!" Just before they could resume their talk, the front door would knock, a sign that made Ghira act on impulse by banging on the table. "Darn it! I forgot about the meeting..." 

"Dear its okay, just go and see what they need." Kali made sure to calm down her husband, rubbing his hand to soothe his nerves. She'd watch as he stood up to leave the dining hall. 

Blake was curious as to how important this meeting must've been for her father. "...who's at the door?"

"Oh just some White Fang members-"

"What..?!" Blake felt her heart skip a beat. She had to be joking. Right? The White Fang was here too? Give her a break... "Ugh, Kiryu just stay here, okay? I don't think they'd like seeing a human here..." Standing up with a frown, Blake made her way to the front door with Sun and Kali.

...

Of course, there was some arguing and yelling involved from Blake and Sun. The people they spoke to were White Fang representatives in Menagerie, both who already seemed suspicious enough. 

"Agh! You've got to be kidding me!" Blake stomped her way towards her room, followed by Sun who stopped at the dining hall where Kiryu sat patiently. "...h-hey, did you hear all that stuff?"

Turning his head, Kiryu looked at Sun with a tired expression. Even he wasn't amused. "...yeah."

"Talk about crazy suspicious... in case you don't know, they're the Albain brothers. They were wearing some red cloak with white puffy pants. I think they're probably up to something..." Before he could continue, Kali gently patted Sun's shoulder to calm him down. "Kiryu, it seems Blake is in her room. I know normally I could go and see her, but I wanted to ask if you could do that for me. I'll have to wash these dishes first."

Slowly standing up, Kiryu gave a nod. "Alright... just tell me where her bedroom is."

"Its at the room farthest down the hallway, right next to the guest bedroom you stayed in." Hearing her instructions, he'd slowly make his way down the hallway. He'd notice pictures of Blake in her younger years. Seeing how she was a small girl playing on the swingsets to being a teenager holding up a sign that said _Justice for Faunus_. It was kind of odd yet nostalgic to see what her past must've been like. In a sense, he got to learn more about Blake in a way she normally wouldn't tell him. 

Arriving at her door, Kiryu gave a soft knock. There was no answer, just silence. With another knock, he heard Blake stepping out of her bed and approaching the door. There was a look of frustration on her face once she opened it, only to be replaced with a curious look. "O-Oh... sorry, I thought you were my dad for a moment."

"Its fine. Your mother said I should come check up on you. Are you... doing alright?" Seeing Blake standing still as she looked to the ground, it was clear she wasn't when no answer was given.

"...If I could be honest. No, I'm really not."


	3. Trouble in Menagerie

Hearing how she wasn't feeling well, that wasn't much of a surprise. Deep down, Kiryu knew there was a lot more on the surface than met the eye. He stepped inside Blake's room, shutting the door as he watched her crawl back into her bed. It was sort of odd, to be here alone in a room she grew up in. "So... what's going on? Tell me."

His words oddly made Blake speak up. Just the way he spoke, she could already trust him with anything she had to say, even if it sounded pathetic. "...What if I told you that I'm just tired of fighting? The Grimm, the White Fang, everybody. I just want to lay here and rest... just to catch a break." Blake sighed, looking to her hand which surprisingly didn't feel rough from all the fighting she had to do. In a sense, Kiryu could relate heavily. He got tired of fighting, thugs stopping him every few feet just because they hated his guts. "...Tell me about it." His response made her ear perk up, slowly turning her head towards the man leaning against her wall. "...Do you... regret coming here already? After what the faunus did to you..?" She felt awful about him getting caught up in a violent fight. It must've made Kiryu felt like nothing's changed since he left Kamurocho. 

Of course he wasn't feeling too great about his greeting to Menagerie, but he didn't hold regrets. "If I did, I would've left by now. But, I came here to help Menagerie, and that's what I'm going to do." Turning to the door, Kiryu began to make his way out before Blake could stop him. "Kiryu wait-" The door shut behind him, making her sigh. She could follow after him, but she wanted to rest. To clear her mind, process her thoughts, and become lost in an empty state of mind. She was just tired of all the problems stacking up against her.

Kiryu had made his way to the living room, where Sun was chatting up Kali as she was sewing. It was amusing to see the monkey talk while Kali focused on her sewing. "So anyways, Kiryu was about to shoot this large harpoon and-"

"Sun, I'm going to head out and check what's going on in town." Already his words were enough to worry the mother, who stood up. "Oh no no, honey. You just recovered from your injuries. Please, relax and rest for today. I'd rather you not go outside and come back with more bruises, you hear me?" Kali sighed, watching as Kiryu took a seat. Just as she sat, she resumed her sewing as that look of worry remained on her face. Kiryu wasn't stupid, he knew something was going on. "...Do faunus normally beat up a stranger they meet? Only thugs do that."

His question did make the mother stop sewing, a deep breath coming in and out of her. "Honestly, no. When Blake had told me what had happened to you, I felt terrible knowing you were a victim of what's been happening out there." Hearing her words, it raised some suspicion to the two men. "...What's going on, Mrs. B? There some bad people running around or something?" 

"...Yes. Very bad people." Just her answer made Kiryu look towards Sun, both already concerned. "Please, tell us more."

"Very well..." With a breath, Kali mentally prepared herself. "A few months back, around when Beacon fell, gang activity had increased dramatically. Crime rate has gone up, and the police haven't been able to do much about it. Ghira sent his troops to investigate the cause, but only saw them return severely hurt. One of them did manage to get some info, that three men were controlling the west, north, and central parts of town." Thugs roaming around under orders of their boss, that sounded familiar...

"With these men controlling parts of Menagerie, living here hasn't been so nice as of late. I don't know the full details, but I think you'll only be able to figure it out from the locals themselves." Kali sighed, she felt terrible for the people but what could she do? She was only the chieftan's wife, weak and tired. Sun stood up, deciding to stretch his arms. "Well that has to be terrible, but its a perfect opportunity for us to go check it out, right Kiryu?" He smiled at the man, hoping he would join in. Kiryu gave a nod, knowing what had to be done. "Mrs. Belladonna, I appreciate your concern for me, but I came here to help Menagerie. Blake's letter, it was something she wanted me to do. I'm sure with Sun by my side, I'll be safe." Kiryu decided it was final, walking towards the front entrance despite Kali's warning. "Kiryu." She called out to him, watching as he turned to her. "...by all means, please return safely, you too Sun." 

"You got it, Mrs. B!" 

The two men took their leave, and already the tension felt high. Just walking through the town, it felt unsafe. Kiryu made sure to keep his guard up in case any thug wanted to pop out and attack him. "Where should we check first?" Sun was behind him, also keeping his guard up. Kiryu thought for a moment, the marketplace was the last place he remembered before arriving at the mansion. "The plaza with the shops. We can ask the vendors for some info." Seeing Sun give a nod, Kiryu made his way towards the Marketplace. It was a crowded section of town. Walkways were built on top of wooden poles stuck to the ground. Various businesses were hosted, some on land and some in the water with the sea level not too high or low for sea faunus to swim in. Kiryu made his way to one of the stands, noticing a man was serving drinks to his customers. Sun took the chance to approach him before Kiryu. "I got this." Clearly his throat, Sun knocked on the bar's counter to get the bartender's attention. "Hey dude! I had a few questions in mind, if you don't mind me asking." 

Seeing the bartender turn to them, Kiryu wasn't surprised when he saw the man groaning at him. There was no use helping he was a human, he was going to be given a bad reputation no matter where he was in this continent. "What do you need?" The bartender asked, his uninterested expression already threw off Sun.

"Um, well... I heard that there's been some problems going on in Menagerie, mind telling us about them?"

"...And why should I? You here to collect more money for your _protection fees?"_ That word, it already gave Kiryu the red flag he's dealt with many times.

"W-What? No dude, we're just here to help!"

"Look man, I got a business to run. Either buy something, or bug off." Despite the bartender's words, Kiryu took the chance to take a seat. The bartender galred at him, clearly not happy to see a human in his business. "...except you."

"That's fine. I wanted to ask more about the protection fees. Someone's forcing you, aren't they?" Hearing the words coming out of this man, it shook the bartender up slightly. "H-How did you-?" Perfect. He hit them right on the mark. "I'm guessing some thugs are forcing you to pay so they can make a profit, is that it?"

"Y-Yeah but... how did you know?" Kiryu simply shrugged at his response. "I've dealt with problems like this back home. I'm here to help, where is this guy so I can make him leave you alone." So bold, it was somewhat admirable to see this man wanting to help, but... 

"Y-You can't do anything. All they'll do is send more thugs and ruin my shop, along with everybody else's." Doubt was on the bartender's mind, knowing his business was at risk if he told Kiryu who was bugging him. "Hey man, the guy really means it. I've seen him take on thugs before. Hell, I've helped him too! We really need you to tell us who's forcing you to pay those protection fees." Sun placed his hands on the counter, wanting to pressure the bartender into dropping the info they needed. A sigh came out of him, knowing these two men weren't coming to leave him alone. "...a-alright. These thugs have a boss who works in one of the buildings near town. They usually stop by here to collect our fees so they could bring it to their boss. The guy you're looking for is someone named Finnick. He wears a green flashy suit. He might be in his office, you can catch him if you leave right now." All of this, it was vital news for Kiryu and Sun. Given a paper with an address written on it, the two nodded at each other, knowing this was going to get messy. 

The bartender sighed, knowing this was a bold but risky move on his part. "Are you... guys really going to handle this problem? I mean, I appreciate it, but its not the first time someone tried to stop Finnick. If he hears about this, he'll raise the protection fees." The look of worry on the bartender's face, it was always the same for every person in need towards Kiryu. Kamurocho, Vale, it didn't matter where he was, he was going to help these people regardless of the danger involved. "Yeah, we will, and we'll return safe and sound. Let's go Sun."

"Right back at ya!" Sun waved at the bartender, following behind Kiryu towards town. They'd walked down the main street, at times having to stop to put down a thug or two until they grew closer to the address they were searching for. "...81... 82... 83. Here." Kiryu looked up from the sign to the building. It was a large one, probably a three story wooden building meant for office work. He approached the front door, entering it just to be called out by some random thug inside. "H-Hey! Who the hell are you?!" It was a fox faunus, slim but a angered look on their face. Turning to Sun, Kiryu gave him the gesture to come inside. From the stair case, three more fox faunus men in suits came down the steps. 

"Seems like this is the place. Guess we'll have to fight our way to Finnick's office." Sun took out his staff, ready to fight.

Kiryu held up a fist, already in a fighting position. "Yeah... get ready." Just as the four faunus surrounded the two, Kiryu didn't hesitate to throw his punches towards them. Sun used his staff to twist one of their arms, kicking them in the chest to put them out of commission before fighting the next thug. Kiryu grabbed a nearby chair, slamming it against one of the faunus before he threw it at a thug that was about to hit Sun. "Woah! Nice throw."

"Let's go." Rushing up the steps, Kiryu noticed more men blocking the hallway. Turning towards Sun, a nod was given as he'd let the blonde have his fun taking care of these guys. Sun rushed into the crowd, swinging his staff at their legs before slamming the end into one of their stomach. He'd kick at each of their faces, putting every thug out of commission. "So how'd I do? Didn't think I saw your fights at the Vytal Festival huh? Sun knew he had to tease Kiryu, earning him a grin as the two rushed down the hall to the next set of stairs. Just before Sun could turn the corner, Kiryu grabbed him by the shoulder to pull him away. A larger, fatter faunus was holding a couch, blocking the way upstairs. "Tch, this fatty really thinks he can block us, huh? Sun groaned, only to turn and watch as Kiryu grabbed a nearby potted plant. He'd slam the vase against the thug's face, only to begin punching them repeatedly in the stomach before they dropped to the ground. With a breath of relief, Kiryu made his way up the stairs and down the hall to the main office sitting at the end. With a breath to prepare himself for what was inside, Kiryu kicked the door open just to see a fox faunus in a green stripped suit standing from his seat.

Finnick was just getting ready to leave, only to yell in fright when the door was kicked open. " _Gah!_ W-Who the hell are you guys?!" He cried out, stepping back as Kiryu made his way towards him. Sun kicked the door shut, deciding to keep watch. Without hesitation, Kiryu grabbed Finnick by the head before slamming him against his desk. A whine of pain was enough to show Sun that Kiryu was scaring the man. "N-Nobody has ever took out my boys like that! L-Look I can pay you if you let me go! Just don't hurt me!"

A look of disgust was on Kiryu's face, clearly not enjoying this man's way of negotiation. "With what money? Those _protection fees_ you've been forcing on those vendors?"

"Y-Yeah, but look! My boss said to enforce them! Whatever he says, goes! You know what I'm saying, r-right?"

Sun scoffed at him, eyes narrowing at Finnick. "Yeah, and that means you get to hurt their businesses, but that's totally fair, right?" He clearly wasn't amused at this man. Finnick looked away, hands fidgeting as he tried to search his drawer for a gun he had. Unfortunately, Kiryu took a hold of his wrist, gesturing him not to. "I-Its not like they're my orders!"

Kiryu raised a brow at his words. By what he heard, it didn't sound like Finnick was running the show here. "Not your orders? Okay then, tell me, who's your boss? I'd like to have a word with him." 

" _H-HUH?!_ You want to speak to the captain?! No, no no no." Finnick became scared, shaking his head. "He'll k-kill me if he hears about this! Or if I send you to him!" Sun groaned at the comment, already losing his patience. "Ugh, look man just tell us already! We'll make sure this _captain_ of your's doesn't kill you. Got it?" Sun's words were somewhat about to calm down Finnick, only for him to be pushed into his seat by Kiryu who was glaring down at him. "Start talking."

With a shaky breath of anxiety, Finnick cleared his throat. "A-Alright... my boss... he goes by Alister, and he's one of the three captains in Menagrie." 

"Three captains? Tell us more about them. About what they do and why." Sun demanded, arms crossed as Kiryu gestured the man to speak by cracking his knuckles. It was enough to startle Finnick. "O-Okay okay! The three captains are three businessmen who control over the suburbs, the marketplace, and the seaport. They pay their subordinates to keep all the locals in line and to make them pay for things more than what they normally cost."

"So the protection fees, its just a way to earn money off the faunus?"

"Y-Yeah, I mean this place isn't exactly the richest place in the world, I don't know why they force people to cough up money, but I have my orders y'know?"

"Right, and here's your next one." Grabbing Finnick by the collar, Kiryu pulled him in close. His eyes stared down onto the scared faunus, eyes like daggers. "You tell your boys to disband, because you won't be paying them a single cent more to hurt the locals. You'll stop forcing the businesses from paying those stupid protection fees, and you'll never bother anyone here again. Do you understand?" Despite his intimidating glare, Kiryu's calm and quiet voice sold the threat, which Finnick unfortunately bought up. "... _y-yes sir..."_

Shoving him back to his seat, Kiryu crossed his arms. "Good, now tell us where Alister is. I'd like to have a word with him." Finnick found himself gulping nervously. He couldn't easily tell him where he was. "Well? I'm waiting." Kiryu's voice scared the faunus, who cowered into his seat. "I-I don't know! I swear! He never told me where his office was..."

"Well that's just poor business management. How else do you contact him?" Sun raised a brow, wondering if this Alister guy wanted to stay hidden. Finnick cleared his throat, looking towards his hands. "I... I don't. He contacts me. I'm sure if I don't report in any collection today, he'll stop by town tomorrow." Kiryu and Sun turned to each other, wondering if that was enough time to prepare. "Alright... let me ask you something. What's the best way to draw out these captains? You said there's three, so how about it?" Sun placed a hand on his hip, curious to know how they can lure out these people to stop demanding money from the locals.

"W-Well I'd say helping out the people with their issues, taking down thugs to reduce their number of men, and stopping the bosses who collect the money from each area." With a shaky breath, Finnick was nervous about the upcoming doom he was going to receive from his boss after telling these two about how to stop his operation.

Kiryu turned to Sun, now having a new plan in mind. "I think we heard everything, let's go Sun." Watching the two men head to the door, Finnick had a short moment of relief until he noticed Kiryu stopping. "One more thing." He turned to the faunus who's ears perked up to listen. "...if I find you ordering your men to collect more money on these people, I'll come back. You hear me?"

" _Y-Yes sir!_ "

...

"You... You guys actually took care of him?!" The bartender was in shock, having learned of the news from Kiryu and Sun. "I-I mean... wow. I'm impressed! So what did he say?" 

"Eh well..." Sun didn't want to disclose all the information, just the important stuff this vendor needed to know. "Basically put, he ain't going to bother this place anymore. He did mention his boss might be mad though..." While Sun spoke about the outcome, Kiryu was sipping on the free beverage he was given. It was a whiskey sour, a regular cup of whiskey with a sourish taste from the lemon juice mixed in.

"His... boss?" The bartender blinked, unsure how many levels of management there was in the gang hierarchy. "From what he told us, not collecting the protection fees will drag out his boss, who's running the show here in this part of Menagerie. Once he shows up, just give us a call and we'll stop by to handle things." Sun smiled as noticed how relieved the bartender became. It was one of those moments that made helping people worth it in the end.

"Heh, well in that case here. Write down your numbers and I'll let you know if that dude shows up." A notepad and pen was given to Sun, who wrote down his contact info before Kiryu wrote down his.

As they wrote down their info, the bartender found himself chuckling out of disbelief. "I mean... I still can't believe you guys actually did something. You know, a lot of people here in Menagerie need help. I'd suggest talking to the other vendors, see what they need help with to make things easier around here." With a smile, the bartender waved at one of the vendors who waved back. "Go speak with them, they've had issues that needs attention to if you're interested. You might even earn yourself a reward."

"A reward? That does sound nice. What do we get from you?"

"Free drinks!" 

An unamused look was on Sun's face, only to change to a smile. "Its alright man, we ain't doing this for money. C'mon Kiryu! Let's go speak with them."

"But I haven't finished my-"

"Another time!" Sun grabbed him by the collar, pulling him to the next vendor who needed their help.

* * *

Blake found herself sitting besides her mother in the family living room. It was late afternoon, and her friends still weren't back. "...Mom, it's getting late. Aren't you worried?" Hearing her daughter's words, Kali gave out a sigh. "I... I am dear, but I have faith in them." Faith, if only it were that simple. "I'm... going to go out and look, neither of them have responded to my calls or messages." For some reason, that hurt. Especially from Kiryu who she wanted to speak to. Kali noticed the look of disappointment on her daughter's face, smiling as she turned back to her sewing. "That Kiryu... you must like him to be this worried."

Her cheeks turned pink, hearing what her mom had just said. "N-No! That's not it!"

"Oh? Then what is it then?" Kali had that smug look on her face, knowing Blake wasn't able to hide her true feelings from her. "I... he's just a really close friend."

"Close friend, sounds like another way of saying a crush."

"Ugh, mom!" Blake plopped down onto the couch, huffing as she looked up at the ceiling. "...Its just rare to find a human who cares about the faunus, and actively helps people. That's why I care about him, what if the world loses someone like him?" She turned towards her mother, who stopped to think for a moment. "If that's how he is, then I think you made the right decision in letting him come here." Kali knew that the second Kiryu stepped out the door earlier in the day, right after she told him about the gang activity in Menagerie. Blake sat up, wondering if her mom knew something she didn't. "...did you tell him something while I was napping?" 

Kali gave a small chuckle, eyes focused on her needles. "I suppose I did. I told him and Sun about the issues Menagerie was having, and that man didn't hesitate to go out there. You would've think someone who came here all injured would want to stay in all day, but there he is fighting... all for the sake of letting us live more comfortably." For some reason those words hurt more than it should have. Kiryu was out there fighting, and here she was moping around, not wanting to fight just so she could rest.

"A-Alright... I think I'll just-" Standing up, Blake looked up to see Sun and Kiryu entering the house, both men were tired but happy. "Guess who's back?!" Sun laughed as he took a seat on the couch next to Blake, Kiryu sitting on the empty chair that was open. "And how was it out there? You boys seem quite exhausted." Kali smiled, deciding to set her sewing down for the time being.

"Oh man! It was tiring but we got a lot of work done!" Sun chuckled, deciding to kick his feet on the armrest of the couch, his head resting next to Blake who scooted over. She didn't exactly feel happy seeing them return, deep down wishing they were still out there so she could join in. "S-So... what'd you guys do? My mom told me you were out there helping people."

Sun gave out a yawn, closing his eyes as he was ready for an afternoon nap. "Well... we learned a lot of things. Basically there's three dudes running Menagerie's gang problem and we managed to stop one of them from collecting money from the businesses in the Marketplace. After that, Kiryu and I spent the day just helping out the vendors with their own issues. We got some free drinks and food if you guys want some!" Sun sat up, pointing at a bag of fresh seafood. Blake, as much as she enjoyed seafood, didn't feel comfortable taking it. "O-Oh wow... thanks you guys. I would've tagged along if you just told me..." She chuckled a little, but knew it actually hurt to not be invited.

Kiryu stood up, feeling dirty and sweaty after running around all day. "What do you mean? You just said you were tired of fighting." He did have a point, Blake confessed to him earlier about how she was tired of always having to fight. "...I-I guess..." She looked to the side, cat ears dropping. "Its alright Blake, you can stay here and catch up with your family while Kiryu and I do all the dirty work. We don't mind, right Kiryu?" Sun spoke up as he leaned towards the bag of food to grab a box to eat.

"Yeah, anyways I'm going to need a bath. Mrs. Belladonna, mind showing me?" 

"Of course dear, just follow me." Blake watched as her mother guided Kiryu to the restroom. A sigh came out of Blake as she'd take one of the boxes, smiling lightly as she saw the fish and sushi inside. Still, she wanted to let Sun understand she wanted to at least be of some help. "You know I can still fight, right?"

Sun was stuffing his face, looking towards Blake as he ate a piece of sushi he had in his mouth. "Hm? Well yeah, but you told Kiryu that you were tired of it. Its fine, you really don't have to worry about us."

Just hearing that, it was starting to feel like he was just pushing her out of the way. "Sun that's not what I meant. I know I said I'm tired, but I also don't want you guys getting hurt out there when I can help." She wanted to be included now all of a sudden, something she didn't exactly understand why, but she wanted to pursue that feeling. Sun gave out a sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "You're pretty weird... you know that?" 

What the fuck, Sun? Blake felt her eyes narrowing at him. "What is _that_ suppose to mean?" 

"I mean, you say one thing and then you say something opposite later... its hard to understand where you're trying to come from, y'know?" He wasn't wrong. Still, it actually bothered her more than it should somehow. "Ugh, never mind. Just go out there and fight or whatever. I'll be in my room." Standing up with her food, Blake made her way to her room, heels stomping against the floor.

...

It was late at night, and Kiryu found himself laying in bed with a scroll in hand, playing a gacha game he enjoyed to pass the time. Sun had a bed made for him on the floor with a few blankets and a mattress to compensate for the lack of an actual bed. "Hey Sun, do you think that captain will really come by tomorrow?"

"Who? Alister? I don't know man, but if he does we'll take him on." Sun was also on his scroll, currently messaging his friends who were in Vacuo. After some time of nothing but silence, and the two chuckling at the memes they shared on their phones, Kiryu decided it was time to sleep. His injuries from earlier were still present, and made him drowsier at a earlier time. He'd tuck his scroll away before turning off the lights. "Night, Sun. Wake me up when you do."

"You got it, night man."

Kiryu fell into a peaceful slumber, unaware that his scroll was currently being messaged.

 **[Blake 10:57pm]** _Hey, can we talk? I have something on my mind that's bothering me._

 **[Blake 11:00pm]** _If that's okay I mean._

 **[Blake 11:10pm]** _Please?_


	4. One Step Forward

"What do you mean I _can't_ go?!" Blake whined as she watched her two friends heading out the door first thing after breakfast. She had rushed to her room to grab her weapon, stumbling as she was excited to try and show them she was eager to join them today on helping the locals, but to be shot down? It hurt like a train wreck. Kiryu rubbed the back of his head, groaning as to why she wasn't listening. "Blake, you said it yourself, you're tired of fighting. Just rest for today and you'll-"

"I did that yesterday, and I haven't felt better. I changed my mind about what I said, so please just let me-"

"Blake, please..."

"But I changed my-!"

" _Enough!"_ He couldn't believe it. He had to raise his voice against Blake just to get her to listen. Sure enough, it did startle the faunus, who stared at him, hurt that he yelled at her. Quickly she turned around to make her way back to her room, hiding the tears of frustration she felt. Sun could only watch, no words to say on the matter. "C'mon buddy, she'll be fine." He patted Kiryu on the shoulder, gesturing they should leave now. Sure he felt bad about yelling at his friend, but Kiryu knew it was for the best. She was tired of fighting, and he didn't want her getting dragged into the mess they were about to have.

Sun walked along the road up to the main village, whistling as he pulled out his scroll. Right now it was 10:13am. "Huh... no messages, you think the Marketplace is okay?" Kiryu shook his head. "I don't know, hopefully it is, otherwise they could be in danger." The two men walked into town, noticing everyone was peacefully doing their daily business. So far, nothing seemed suspicious... 

"Man, I would've thought Alister would show up early, or maybe we're early." Sun chuckled, making his way to the Marketplace with Kiryu behind. One thing was fortunate, the faunus didn't seem to be giving Kiryu anymore bad looks, they either waved at him or ignored him entirely, which he was content with. Better than receiving a nasty glare or a racist comment, right? 

Arriving at the same bar from yesterday, Kiryu took his seat. "Good morning, is everything going well?"

The bartender was quick to turn around, smiling as he recognized the two men. "Oh good morning! Everything has been great so far. The people have told me you've been helping them, so business has been moving. Best of all, we actually got to keep our money, no collections am I right?" He chuckled, seemingly happy now that the thugs weren't around to bother the businesses anymore. 

Sun smiled, arms resting on the table. "So have you seen any sign of that Alister guy? We wanna be ready in case he shows up." Sun was cautious about this. If anything, he was worried that this captain would be a tough piece of work. The bartender found himself shaking his head. "No, not that I've seen him. Nobody has. Maybe he's just-"

Looking past the two, the bartender took notice of a injured man in a green suit. His face was bloodied and bruised as he ran towards Kiryu and Sun. "Help! You two! _Help!"_ Both men turned to see who it was, only to lean back in surprise. "Holy shit- Finnick?!" Sun was shocked to see the man beaten and injured. 

"H-Help me... please! My boss, he's here! He's going to kill you two!" The sound of desperation and fright coming from him was enough to make Kiryu stand from his seat before looking around for this man. "Where is he? How does he look like?"

Finnick clung to Kiryu's shirt, which made the man gently remove him off his clothes. "H-He's big and has a black and white striped suit... please don't let him kill me, _please!"_

Sun sighed as he gazed at the faunus in pity, picking him up to his feet. "Alright alright, look just stay behind us. If one of you vendors can, patch this guy up! We'll handle Alister." He called to the other vendors before turning to Kiryu before looking ahead. There he was, this seven-foot, tall looking mean son of a bitch was making his way towards the Marketplace with sunglasses to conceal his face. He was a bull-like faunus, with horns sticking out his forehead and a tail behind him. A few goons followed behind, all fox faunus, which was quite odd for them to be following someone with bull traits. 

The air grew tense with goons surrounding the area and the captain standing before Kiryu and Sun. A tobacco was seen sticking out the man's mouth, teeth biting on one end to keep it from falling. With a puff, the man tucked a hand into his pocket, the other holding his tobacco as he blew out the smoke that poisoned his lungs. "...You two, heard you've been hurting my business. Got a reason for that?" His voice wasn't deep, but it was serious enough to express the power he held.

"Yeah, heard you've been forcing these people to pay stupid amounts of money for something you can't provide! So we went to your buddy's office yesterday and made him resign early." Sun glared at the man before him, wondering how strong he was. A small chuckle came out as the captain took another puff of his tobacco. "Figured he was going to break at some point, don't matter now. I'll toss him out at sea like I will you two and replace him with someone more fitting." A smirk was on his face before a step was taken towards Kiryu. He inspected him for a few seconds, pulling away with what seemed like an amused grin on his face. "...a human, huh? What brings you all the way out here?"

His eyes glared at the captain, clearly not happy with who he was. Kiryu had to hold himself back from attacking first. "I'm here to help the faunus."

"Oh? Here to help them you say?" Alister began to chuckle as he took yet another puff. "Must be a shame when my men reported that they beat you good... let me tell you something." He leaned down a bit to match Kiryu's height, eyes now narrowing at him. "You ain't helping the faunus, and you ain't interrupting my turf. Grab your shit, and leave Menagerie. Otherwise I'ma have to hurt you. Do you under-"

Grabbing him by the collar, Kiryu didn't hesitate to start bashing his face in with a few punches. Hands moved to slam Alister's head against the counter, leaving the captain with a bloodied nose. "Agh, _fuck!_ Boys get him!" Alister backed away as he held his nose, blood seeping between his fingers. With a few goons rushing in to attack Kiryu, Sun intervened by flying in, kicking the goons before they reached Kiryu. "Oh hell no! if you want to mess with him, you're have deal with me!" Turning back towards his ally, Sun gave him a grin to show this was his fight. A small smile came to Kiryu, nodding in return as he began to punch one of the goons, only to knock them to the ground. Before another enemy could hit him, Kiryu grabbed them by the collar and lifted them into the air, only to drop them onto the goon he put down earlier.

Sun found himself easily doing crowd-control, spinning his staff in circles overhead and behind, striking any enemy that got close. Kiryu took notice and grabbed one of the goons before moving them towards the spinning staff. "Sun!" Hearing Kiryu's call, the faunus turned to begin spinning his staff against the goon's face, repeatedly striking them in the face until they were put down. 

Alister was up next, golden knuckles were attached to his hands as he wasn't able to bandage his nose. "So you wanna play dirty, is that it?" His arm swung at Kiryu with a lot of power and speed, but missed as he noticed Kiryu had barely quick-stepped out of the way. A growl came out as he began to swing his fists faster, breaking anything he came into contact with. He became annoyed when he couldn't land a single hit. "Goddammit, STOP MOVING!" 

Sun took the opportunity to bash his staff against Alister from behind, catching his attention. A heavy stomp came from the captain, followed by a charge towards Sun. "Oh shit-" He wasted no time in running from the charging bull, hopping over a fence and towards town where he wouldn't damage any of the vendor's property. Kiryu had followed behind, wondering how he could stop Alister from charging at Sun. 

"Uh, a little help here!" Sun cried out, unable to stop and use his semblance to stop Alister. 

Kiryu looked around, wondering what he could use to catch his attention. A red blanket table cover was sitting on someone's table as they were eating from a small diner next to him, the perfect tool to use. Kiryu approached the table, lifting the customer's plate and cup to try and pull the cover off.

"Hey! I'm eating here!"

"Sorry but I need this." 

Standing in the empty street where Sun was running towards him, Kiryu held out the red fabric. It worked perfectly, changing Alister's charge towards him. With a sidestep, Kiryu narrowly missed the beast that was about to ram into him. He watched as Alister stopped to turn around and resume his charge, once again missing Kiryu when he stepped to the side. How Alister wasn't using his brain was a surprise, but it didn't matter. Kiryu needed him to slow down his speed so he could grab him. Shaking the red fabric, he'd call out to Alister, watching as the man cracked his knuckles before taking a step back. Just as Alister began to charge one last time, Kiryu activated his semblance, knowing he needed the strength for what he was about to do next.

Just as Alister's horns got close enough, Kiryu grabbed ahold of them before pushing his feet into the ground. He tried to slow him down, gritting his teeth from how much force was acting against him. " _N-Ngh..!"_ His hands held on tightly to the horns, his feet trying to push against the ground tightly so he could stop Alister. Once he began to slow down, Kiryu tried to hold Alister in place. "SUN!"

It was time. Jumping off an elevated roof, Sun's semblance sent two clones to land on top of Alister's back, slamming him into the ground with their combined weight. With Alister stunned for a moment, Kiryu took the chance to get himself some space for a running start. He'd rush towards the fallen enemy, striking his foot into their gut, sending the captain rolling a few feet.

Blood spat out as he hit the floor, groaning as his vision was blurry. Slowly, Alister stood up, eyes glaring at the two. "...how the hell? This ain't even fair..."

"Yeah well maybe you should think how the locals felt when you put a stupid fee on them!" Rushing in with his staff, Sun swung at the man's gut. Instead, a hand clasped around his staff and throat, lifting him off the ground. "S-Shit!" Sun was struggling as Alister picked him up to slam him into the ground. Kiryu rushed in, his anger fueled by watching Alister throwing Sun attempting to stomp on him. Jumping in the air, he kicked his legs at the captain's body, putting a halt to his attack. Quickly Kiryu picked himself up before helping Sun to his feet. By the looks of it, Alister was getting pretty tired as he slowly picked himself up. "...Heh... I'm gonna break you, and I'm gonna kill ya." His breaths were heavy, voice venomous as his red eyes glared towards the two. Kiryu found himself raising his fists up cautiously, stepping close towards Alister. Before he knew it, his arms shielded himself from a fast yet heavy punch. It was enough to break Kiryu' guard, sending him a few steps back before a punch was thrown at his chest. Air came out as Kiryu flew a few feet from Alister's attack, his aura absorbing most of it. Taking the chance to catch his breath, Kiryu stood back up and rushed in as Sun tried to tag in and fight the captain. His punches were blocked by Sun's staff, only to connect to the faunus' face which sent Sun flying away.

Alister took notice of Kiryu now in range and attempted to swing a few fists at him. Despite how heavy his punches were, Alister began to throw sloppy punches that Kiryu easily dodged. "Tch, stop moving and let me hit you!" he cried out, only to receive a punch to his gut. Air and saliva spat out as he felt his body becoming weak, his head was grabbed before Kiryu began to bash it against his knee repeatedly. Blood also shot out as Kiryu delivered his strikes to the captain's face. Deciding to end the fight, Kiryu spun before swinging a round-house kick to Alister's face. It struck against his nose, sending the large faunus to the ground where he was now put out of commission.

Exhausted from their brawl, Sun stood up as he rubbed his chin, groaning in pain from how hard he received that punch. "Aw man... that really hurt... did we get him?" Kiryu turned to his ally, panting as his head nodded. A sigh of relief came out as Sun stood up. "Well thank god, I was getting exhausted! C'mon, let's call the cops and tell them to lock up this guy." 

Agreeing to Sun's statement, Kiryu took out his scroll before dialing for the Menagerie police. 

...

It didn't take long for the police to arrive and handcuff Alister before taking him away. Despite his bigger build, Sun and Kiryu managed to hurt him quite a lot to prevent him from fighting back against the smaller police officers. A few vendors from the Marketplace approached the scene, walking up to the two men with a satisfied smile on their faces. 

"You guys actually took care of him!"

"Yeah! Way to go!" 

Hearing these compliments from the other vendors felt wonderful to Sun as he knew he couldn't help but to play along. "Ah well, it was nothin'! Just all in a day's work y'know?" He chuckled before turning to Kiryu, who had a smile on his face for a different reason. It was nice to see that the faunus were opening up to him now, compared to yesterday when he first arrived here. He turned to the bartender from earlier, noticing the man was happy to see the two were safe and sound. "Seems like you guys are pretty tired after a fight like that! Come on, follow me back to the bar, drinks are on me." Hearing the gesture, Kiryu decided it was worth to stay and have a few drinks with Sun after their accomplishment. They took down the first captain, something the other faunus couldn't have done to make their lives more comfortable. For now, he earned a moment of rest.

* * *

Digging through boxes of old photos and memories she had as a kid, Blake found herself sighing when she came across of a photo of her younger self. She had a green yukata on, looking rather shy as she stood between her parents during a festival. As much as she wished she could enjoy the memory, the reality behind the situation didn't make it possible. For all the faunus to be cramped up in a space like this, with no one to rely on for help except each other, it left her feeling hopeless for a moment. She took a deep breath, trying to relax her nerves as she quickly turned the photo away to grab through another item in her box.

A knock came to her door, followed by Kali entering the room. "Hey sweetie, how are you holding up?" Hearing her mother's voice was always comforting to her. "Oh, hey mom. I'm... doing okay." Blake knew she couldn't hide the boxes of her past before her mother, so she scooted over on her bed to give her mother some space to sit next to her. Kali gently grabbed a photo frame that Blake didn't want to see. A small sigh escaped the mother's lips before she ran her thumb over her daughter in the photo. "You were always the cutest when you were young, you know that?"

"...y-yeah, so?" A small chuckle came out, wondering why she thought her younger, shyer self was cute. "I used to be shy all the time, at least until I met-"

"Adam... I know." Kali frowned, setting the photo down. "I still don't understand what happened to that man to make him go down that path. It honestly made me worry about you when you stuck by his side." Kali gently brushed her hand against her daughter's hair, wondering if her little girl was mentally okay after leaving Adam.

Blake felt herself resting her head against her mother's shoulder, closing her eyes as Kali's fingers stroked through her hair. A feeling of comfort that told her everything was going to be okay. "Do you... think I'm a coward?" That question broke the moment of comfort the two had together. Kali pulled herself away, turning to look at Blake's expression. "Why do you ask that? Is it because you left your friends behind?" 

She wasn't off the mark. Blake felt like one because of that, but now the feeling felt heavier when she wasn't out there in town fighting for the faunus. "...yes. My friends got hurt and I... just left them. I hope they hate me for it, because running is all I ever seem to do." Her eyes began to prickle with tears, hands closing into fists before she noticed her mother placing a hand onto her's. "Sweetie, you know that isn't true-"

" _Yes it is!"_ Blake felt herself losing her composure, tears dropping onto her hands. "E-Everytime something goes wrong, I just run! I ran from Adam, I ran from Beacon, and I'm just here crying like a baby. Its like nothing's changed since I was a kid..!" She pushed her face against her mother's shoulder, now sobbing as she felt hopeless about herself. Kali stroked her hair, frowning as she pulled Blake into a warm embrace. "Blake, you didn't run because you're a coward. You ran because you knew about the consequences."

"S-So what if I know about them?! Besides... how can you and dad still love me after I screamed and yelled at you two? I... I was wrong, I should've listened and left when you guys did..." She continued sobbing, hands clinging to her mother's body for comfort. 

She wasn't wrong, but it didn't change the fact she loved her daughter. "Blake, your father and I could never stop loving you. You're our child, our only one. We were always keeping you in our thoughts, hoping that whatever obstacle may come your way you can overcome it." Kali smiled, gently rubbing her daughter's cheek. "You came back to us. You faced your demons time and time again."

"But I didn't do it alone..." Blake looked up, sniffling as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"And that's okay. Not many people have the opportunity to receive the help they need. Your father and I were worried you may tread down the same path as Adam, but we were relieved to see you come home safe and sound. Not many can do that, it takes a unique kind of courage to pull that off."

Hearing her mother's words, they comforted the faunus, but it wasn't enough. "...S-Sun said something to me yesterday... how I can't make up my mind on anything..."

That was new. Kali's ears perked up as she heard what Blake said. "...well, not a lot of us can, but that's okay. It just means you're aware of the situation around you and you've come to adapt to it." 

"But does it really matter? I told Kiryu I wanted to join them today, but he pushed me away... a-and all it did was make me feel like I'm helpless." Her eyes teared up, eyes lids shutting tightly as she felt her body wanting to give away. It felt like karma, pushing away her friends and now she was getting pushed away. Was this how it felt? Because if so, she deserved it. A pat on the head caught her attention, forcing Blake to look at Kali once more. "Sweetie, you aren't helpless. From what I could tell, Kiryu was just worried about you. Your father used to do the same thing to me sometimes when we were younger, yelling at me to stay home as he ventures out into battle. I was always worried about him, but deep down I knew he wanted to keep me safe." A small giggle came out as she remembered her time in the White Fang with her husband.

Slowly Blake sat up, sniffing as she used her sleeve to wipe away her tears. "Do you... really think that? That he's just trying to protect me?"

"Of course I do. Men love to protect their loved ones. Its just how they are sadly." She had a smug look before turning to her daughter. "But if it really does bother you that much, then talk to him tonight, and make him understand that you want to be at his side while he fights. He might bark back at you, but he won't bite." Bringing Blake closer, Kali planted a kiss upon her daughter's forehead before standing up. "Now, I have to go and cook. Do you want to help while you wait for those boys to return?"

With one last sniff, Blake stood up and smiled. "Y-Yeah." She followed her mother out of the room, her chest now beating as she came to realize what she had to do.

...

Dinner time had come around dusk, just in time when the two men arrived home from town. "We're back!" Sun announced, followed by Kiryu stepping inside. He'd look up as Blake peeked out from the dining room. "Just a sec! Dinner's almost ready." There was a noticeable look of happiness on Blake's face as she prepared the plate covers and the meals. Kali stepped out with the drinks in hand, setting them down. Kiryu and Sun stepped in, both amazed by the dinner they were welcomed to. "Woah, this is for us?" Sun was blushing, enjoying the scent of freshly cooked food. 

"Yep! You two were working hard, so I figured I should at least help out with welcoming you home with something to eat." Blake took her seat, sitting between her mother and Kiryu. Ghira stepped in, surprised by the delicious scent of the meal. "My my! This is quite the treat, honey did you cook this?"

"No, I just helped Blake with all the cooking. Maybe some boys should give their thanks to her." She looked towards Sun then at Kiryu, raising a brow at them.

Before Sun could eat the first bite, he paused awkwardly before bowing his head. "O-Oh yeah! Thanks for the food Blake!"

"I didn't think you'd cook for us, thank you." Kiryu smiled towards his friend, deciding to try out a piece of the salmon that was cooked. "Mm... hoho!~" He couldn't help his excitement, it was delicious! Just the noise itself made Blake giggle as she took her fork. "Go ahead and eat up, there's more in the kitchen if you want." She found herself digging into her meal, listening to Ghira asking how the mens' day was like, wanting to hear the details of their experience. Despite how happy everyone was, deep down there was guilt that didn't want to leave her. Blake knew she was guilty of running and being a hypocrite for not helping the faunus when they needed it. She had to push those thoughts away for now, because tonight would either make or break her.

Once dinner was over, Kiryu gave his thanks before turning in for the evening. He needed to take a shower, while Sun decided to wait in the guest room he had been staying in. Blake took the time waiting for Kiryu to finish showering by washing the dishes. Hopefully he would listen. She needed him to, because it was vital if she was going to move on from the guilt she was carrying. When she heard the noise of the shower shutting off, her heart began to race. Anxiety was taking over. Calmly she took a few deep breaths, deciding to draw circles on her palm to distract her mind for now. She had to wait for him to get dried and changed. 

The next 15 minutes felt like an hour. Every minute passed by slowly, every second taking longer than usual to pass. Hearing him walking out of the restroom to the guest room made her body shake a little. As much as she wanted to speak what was on her mind, she'd wait for him to settle in his room, that way she wouldn't come off as clingy or intrusive. Another five minutes passed after he had settled in, it was now or never. 

Pacing back and forth in the kitchen, Blake told herself "fuck it" and made her way to his room. The door was closed, so she'd knock before stepping back. Her heart was racing, wondering if he was going to listen to her words. When the door opened, Blake found herself flinching in surprise by how quick Kiryu opened it. Thank goodness it was him and not Sun. "O-Oh hey! Um, I... uh..."

She couldn't form the words she wanted to say. Her mind went blank as she stared at the man before her. Somehow, all that confidence she had vanished, replaced by doubt. It was as if she knew he was going to tell her no and she wasn't going to have another chance. 

"Oi, Blake? You okay?" There was a hint of confusion on his face. Swallowing her anxiety, Blake took ahold of his hand, pulling him out of the room. "I need to speak with you, privately... please." The tone of her voice, Kiryu knew it was something important. Something that Blake had to share with him. With a nod, he followed Blake outside to the front porch of her house. The warm air, the fresh breeze, it helped her in calming down before she could muster the courage to speak to him. "Kiryu... I need you to listen to me, and please listen til the very end. Can you do that for me?" Her face looked worried, wondering if he could agree to those terms. She needed him to listen to everything, otherwise this whole plan would fall apart. 

Just everything from clinging to his hands, her worried tone, and her eyes gazing up at him, Kiryu knew he had to agree to. He didn't want to leave her feeling unsatisfied with what she needed to say. "Alright, I'll listen."

"Okay.. here goes..." With a deep breath, Blake released his hands before she crossed her arms. "I... I used to run alot. From when I was a kid to when I arrived here. I... I was always shy and I... couldn't exactly fight til I met Adam. He taught me how important it was to fight for faunus equality. I... I used to be in love with him up until he changed. Little things here and there, they gradually built up until he was someone completely different. Someone that would prefer to use violent acts to get his way instead of peacefully protesting. Its why I ran from him. When we were doing a raid, I..."

Blake felt her hands growing cold, squeezing onto her arms as she hugged herself. "I couldn't let him kill more people than he already had. So I cut the train from the cabins and watched as I left him behind." Her head looked down to the ground, ears dropping as Kiryu waited patiently.

"Then when he came to Beacon and he hurt you..." Slowly she took ahold of his right hand, her thumb rubbing over the scar he had when Adam stabbed him. "I had to run. He told me he was going to hurt everyone that cared about me, and that meant he could be following me anywhere. Its why I ran from Vale, from my friends, from you. I was so _so_ scared he would follow me and kill you if he got the chance to, all because I left him. Ever since we got here, I didn't want to fight. I wanted to rest and relax, just to have a break from all the fighting I've been doing since my I was a kid til now. S-So when... you told me you were going through the same thing back at home, I... I felt nothing but guilt, and its been _eating_ me from the inside since we arrived here. I wanted to find a way to make things up to you, and when I heard you were out here _still_ fighting in a place that's not even your home! I..." Blake stopped for a moment, she had to swallow back the tears she felt. "I... I don't understand... Why..." 

Kiryu was caught off guard, seeing how Blake became overwhelmed with emotion. He felt her pulling on his shirt, squeezing it tightly as she sobbed into his chest. 

"You're always fighting... you have no obligation to fight for us, yet you're doing it anyways... without me! Please Kiryu... Let me fight with you!" She looked up to him, tears rolling down her cheeks. She tried to catch her breath, sobbing in between. "All I've done is run from people, and I've only hurt them in the end. I... I don't want to run anymore, I want to fight and do something for once. I-I changed my mind so please... please let me join you... because I don't know if I could ever live with myself after running for so long... _"_

He understood everything, how she was feeling, why she was guilty, and what she wanted. Just the emotion he heard from her, it made him take a deep breath to shake off the nerves he was feeling. "I... I fight because its the right thing to do. No matter how tough the enemy may be, or if the person in need doesn't like me, I can't stand aside when someone is in trouble." 

It was rare for her to see someone so genuinely concerned about people like that, to help them regardless if they needed it or not. "Kiryu... you're one of the few rare gems this world needs. Nobody would cast aside their life for someone else if it meant helping a stranger. I... I'm just... so sorry I wasn't there for you... I want to make it up, please... let me make it up to you..." Blake cupped the man's cheeks, sniffling as she didn't want him to turn away. She needed him to look her in the eye, because one look away felt like he would vanish. "...Please, I... I really need to do this... not just for me or the faunus, but mostly you. I... I don't want to see you get hurt... It hurts me so much whenever I see you coming home with blood and bruises, knowing I could've stopped it from happening. I..." She pulled her hands away for a moment, deciding to wipe her tears away so she didn't look like a mess before cupping his cheeks once more. "I don't like seeing you getting hurt at all..." Her thumb rubbed over his skin, wanting to show how much she cared about him. 

Kiryu waited for a moment to speak up, not wanting to say anything before the other had said what was on her mind. "...Blake. You were the first friend I made at Beacon, and you've given me so many memories at the academy. So many new friends, it became... hard. Too hard after Beacon fell. It was difficult for me to make it through the past nine months when you didn't respond. I care about you, I really do, but I don't want you to get caught up in this mes-" His eyes opened up, feeling his head being pulled in, lips pressing against his. Time froze for what seemed like a minute. He looked down, noticing Blake was kissing him. Her grip wasn't gentle, it was firm as if she wanted him to stay put. Slowly he began to move his hands to the other's shoulders, lost in thought of what should he do. Going by his gut, Kiryu decided to reciprocate the gesture, kissing Blake in return before she pulled away. Tears were running down her face again, her cheeks painted red. All he saw was a look of pain and love from her. 

"Please... let me be by your side, I really... really care about you." She held his hand, clearly shaking from the rush of adrenaline she felt. "I... I love you."

Hearing those words felt alien to him. He wasn't sure how to react, but he knew what he wanted to respond with. With a nervous gulp, Kiryu knew his next words would drastically change his fate. "I love you too."

Blake brought up his hand to her cheek, sniffling as she gazed at him with the biggest smile she's had since they've reunited. "Thank you..."


	5. Substories of Menagerie

Days passed since Blake confessed her thoughts and emotions to Kiryu. The thought of telling him how she had feelings was a memory she wanted to bury deep down, not that it was bad, but it was rather embarrassing how she told him. Maybe she wasn't ready yet. Maybe it was just something she spat out in the moment. Regardless, that wasn't the only issue she had. It was nice to see Sun and Kiryu helping the faunus with their problems, but that didn't exactly give her any closure she needed with her beloved. Despite him returning the feelings, he didn't act on them. It was like he only remembered her crying to let her fight with them. He just continued to help the faunus as he normally would, but when it was time for them to relax together at home, Blake found herself barely having any time for talk with him. He'd just eat, shower, and go to bed. Sure, Sun was there, but he was mainly talking to her mom. That didn't bother her, it just gave him a distraction not to bug Blake.

"Okay! We're taking off now!" Sun announced to the Belladonna's as he stepped outside their home with Kiryu and Blake. Happy as usual, his cheerful tone always did seem to brighten the mood even when Blake found herself becoming riddled with anxiety. She followed besides the two, noticing how Sun was the one chatting and Kiryu was thinking of a plan.

"So, where we hitting next? So far the Marketplace has been improving a lot lately, the Suburbs are doing alright. We haven't touched the Seaport at all." Sun walked with his hands tucked into his pockets. With his hand cupping his chin, Kiryu began to think for a moment. Something about the suburbs felt off. "You're right, the Suburbs are doing alright, but there's something missing we haven't touched."

Raising her ears, Blake began to wonder what he meant by that. They've helped the people with their issues, was he thinking about _that_ issue? "You must mean whoever is forcing the people to pay high mortgage and rents for their homes, correct?" Seeing Kiryu nod in agreement, it gave Blake that little sense of relief, but quickly reality dawned on her. This was their only moment of communication, directly from one person to another. Her smile quickly reverted back to a neutral state, thoughts filling her head about the small observations she kept note of. Kiryu didn't ask how was her day, if she wanted to hit up one of the shops together, or even hold her hand. It was like he completely ignored her confession and said "I love you" just to calm her down. Just the thought of it... it made her stomach feel like a void was in there. Light weight yet a numbing feeling that bothered her.

With the three arriving at the large suburban area of Menagerie, Sun grinned as he noticed the three pathways that laid before them, as per usual. "Alright, this time I'll handle the east side of the neighborhood! See you guys later for lunch!" With Sun running off, Blake decided now was time to speak what was on her mind. Taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes, Blake opened them to find Kiryu already wandering off the central path. "H-Hey wait!" She rushed up to grab his hand, hoping to stop him before he could leave. "Kiryu I... I need to talk to you." 

"Again?" He raised a brow at her, wondering what could have been bothering her this time. Just the way he worded it, it sounded like she was just being a nuisance. Blake knew Kiryu didn't mean to come off as rude or annoyed, but just the word itself struck her wrong. Her ears lowered, deciding it was best to just suck it up for another day. "Um... be safe, okay?" She leaned in to kiss his cheek, smiling with a small blush on her's. Kiryu only gave a nod and smiled before walking away, which made the void in her stomach grow larger. It hurt to be neglected like that. Still, as much as she wanted to tell him to turn back and kiss her, Blake knew she could never do that. It would make her look petty and childish when they have bigger priorities at hand. "...take care, I guess."

She found herself wandering through the west side of the neighborhood, wondering if there were any issues present that could help take her mind off of what happened earlier. Her ears perked up, hearing a little girl crying in the distance. Quickly her body began to run towards the source of the yelling she heard. Through the pathway down to a local park, Blake caught notice of a few kids playing dodgeball. Her eyes scanned the area, looking for what seemed to be a few boys standing aside as a little girl cried on the sand. Already she assumed that the little boys were just being too rough towards her. "Hey, is everything alright?" Trying to sound sweet instead of her gloomy self, Blake kneeled beside the little girl, noticing her forehead had a red marking. 

"N-No! Those boys hit me!"

"You said you wanted to play with us! I don't see why you're getting upset when you know its a boys only game."

Hearing the two sides argue, Blake gave out a sigh as she stood on her feet, dusting the sand off her knee. "You have to be considerate of girls, you know? They're not as strong as boys your age." She raised a brow, noticing how one of them was making a pouty face. It was kind of silly to look at.

"B-But she's been crying about how we don't let her play!"

"Then just let her play, its not hard to let girls play." Oh children, they always had the weirdest issues. It reminded her of how she used to play in the park when she was a kid, holding a doll as she played with the other girls. 

The little girl stood up, sniffling as she rubbed her forehead where she was smacked with the ball earlier. "They all sided against me!" Ouch, now this was a much different dilemma. Blake gave a sigh as she placed her hands on her hips, hoping to come off as a superior to the boys. "Now that's not very nice. You guys need to play fair."

"W-Well none of the boys want to side with her! Its not my fault." One of the boys spoke up, clearly troubled by the issue at hand. 

"Then I'll just have to pick for you." A smug look was on the cat's face, looking down at the boys who groaned at her. One by one she began to pick who would be on the two teams. Once that was over, Blake smiled as she backed away to leave. "Alright, now you guys better play fair, okay?" Hearing the kids agree in disappointment, she turned to leave the park to head back to the houses. Not even a minute passed before she heard crying come from the park. "Oh you've gotta be fucking..." Rubbing her nose, Blake made her way back just to see the kids surrounding the little girl once more. "Okay, what happened this time?" Now there was an annoyed look on her face as she placed her hands onto her hips.

None of the boys wanted to answer, except one who was on the opposite team of the little girl. "T-They kept pushing her, saying she was in their way." Every kid on this boy's team began to nod her. How surprising... "Look, you kids need to start being nice to this girl, or I'll have to-"

"Have to what?" Hearing that from behind, Blake turned around to see an older woman standing behind her. "...Uh, h-hi?" She smiled nervously, wondering who this lady might be.

"Mom! This lady is bullying us!"

"Yeah! She keeps interrupting our game!"

Those little shits! Why?! Blake found herself growing anxious. "I-I wasn't! They just kept picking on this little girl and-!" 

"Bullying these children? How _dare_ you?! I should call the police and tell them that someone like you is bothering these children. As if we don't have enough problems here already!" The mother began to take out her phone, dialing as Blake began to panic. "N-No wait that's not it! I wasn't-"

"Yes officer? I have a issue here at a playground in the suburbs."

This bitch really called the police on her. Blake found herself wanting to grab the woman's phone, but that would just make the situation worse. Looking both ways, the faunus began to flee from the scene, ignoring the cries she heard from the over-reactive parent.

...

Finding herself wandering through the alleyways between the houses, Blake gave out a yawn as she was exhausted from running earlier. "...Stupid mom... maybe having kids wouldn't be that great." All the crying and whining, it'd be torturous for someone like her. Especially when she preferred a quiet home. While walking, she'd notice a man seemingly rubbing his hands along the dirt. That was odd, was he searching for something? "Hey mister, everything okay?"

Stopping his search, the man's head perked up to turn to the woman. Oh good, he looked like a decent faunus being. "O-Oh yes! Um, I am..." Odd, now he was being quiet.

"Well... can I help? You seem to be looking for something."

"O-Oh no, its okay, um... I-I can find it on my own." Normally she would accept his words and walk away, but she wanted to be generous today. "Well, mind describing what you're looking for?" Blake hoped she came off friendly enough to not be pushed away. Seeing him sigh and standing up, Blake was caught off guard when he cornered her against the wall behind her. This guy knew no meaning of personal space, seeing how he was inches away from her face. "U-Um... you don't have to be so-" 

"Now listen, what I'm about to tell you is a very, _VERY,_ important secret of mine. Promise me you won't tell anyone." If it meant he'd back away from how close he was, she wouldn't hesitate to agree. "Y-Yeah! Um, mind moving away? You're too close." 

"O-Oh, sorry... I just got nervous... I can't exactly talk about it out loud... y'know?" The man backed away, his hands tucked between his arms. He was nervous alright, awkward too...

Blake found herself taking a breath to calm her nerves, never did she expect a man to just corner her against the wall like that. It was hot, but only in the books she read. Out here in the real world? It was awkward. "Y-Yeah, we all have our secrets. So what are you looking for?" The man took a breath, looking both ways before frowning at her. "Promise me you won't make fun of me?"

"Promise." Oh boy, what dirty secret did this guy have..?

"A-Alright... I'm looking for a action figure..." Seriously? That's it? What a buzzkill. "Okay... a toy... um, is it for your kid?" How could this be a secret? This guy seemed to be in his 30's, it was normal for a parent to find their child's lost toy, right? 

He sighed, shaking his head. 

"Your niece?"

Again he shook his head. 

"Alright well I don't like to play guessing games. Tell me." She gave out a sigh of impatience, arms crossed as she began to wonder whose toy it belonged to.

The man gulped, looking down in a defeated state. "...Its for me." Okay, it was for him... that was a start. "Alright, well... I suppose we all like to buy things we've liked since we were kids. How does it look like?"

"Its a blue robot figure. It has a huge light up sword and a white helmet, it looks like those Mechas you see in shows, y'know?"

"Uh... yeah I think?" Not really. Blake had no idea what those things looked like, but given from his description it shouldn't be too hard to find it. "Okay, great! Well I lost it around here somewhere. I was busy playing with it and I threw it up into the air before I lost it. Mind helping me out?" Blake found herself agreeing to his request, despite how weird it sounded from a 30 year old to be playing with toys. Still, she wasn't one to judge. He said it was on the roof, so Blake proceeded to launch herself onto the rooftop of one of the houses. She'd gaze over one roof before hopping to the other. Luckily for her, the toy was found... in pieces. "Oh boy..." She took the broken toy and returned to the man. "Here, I found it like this." 

A small whine of disappointment came out of the man, looking over his broken toy. "Aw man..! I spent more than 100 Lien on this thing!" He frowned, something that made Blake question his life choices. "...R-Right, well hopefully you can get it fixed. Maybe don't play with toys that cost so much." The man sighed, agreeing with Blake's words. "I suppose you're right... Thank you."

For once, someone actually thanked her. How sweet. Still, she wasn't sure about his gesture earlier. "H-Hey, um... mind if I asked why you did that _thing_ earlier?"

"Thing? What thing?"

"You know, the..." She gave out a sigh, realizing it would be a bigger mess to ask about this. "Never mind, have a good day." 

"Thanks! You too!" The man waved at Blake, watching as she was leaving. A sigh came out of him, frowning a bit. "Man she was cute..."

...

Taking a pit stop at a nearby market store, Blake found herself picking up a small magazine to read. It spoke about various topics: from upcoming books to new films coming out. Its been a while since she's seen a movie which made her wonder. When was the last time she actually saw a movie in theaters? There was a a theater nearby, maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a small break and watch a film. She'd quickly walk out and head towards the nearest theater. It wasn't entirely big, but it was large enough to hold a few auditoriums. Upon entering through the doors, the lobby took all of her attention. It was a brilliant environment, the scent of popcorn filled the air, golden lights brightened the area, and hearing the televisions playing movie trailers took away all of her worries. Well, except one. Blake was here by herself and there were a few couples present. A small sigh escaped her lips, looking to the floor in the absence of her partner. Her ears perked up as she heard yelling from nearby, followed by someone stomping towards the exit behind her. Quickly Blake moved out of the way, watching as a employee walked out of the lobby.

"No Charles wait! We need... you..." An older man gave out a defeated sigh, watching as his employee had just left on the clock. "Hey, is... everything alright?" Blake figured he had to be upset. The manager looked up, already filled with guilt from the event that transpired. "No... not exactly. We're short staffed today and one of my employees just quit his job! We're suppose to have a busy afternoon in an hour."

"O-Oh, well... maybe I could help?" As much as she would prefer to watch a movie, someone did need her help, and that's what she was going to do. Looking up, the manager had a surprised look of excitement on his face. "Will you really? I can pay you for the afternoon shift!"

"Yeah, I don't mind." Blake smiled. She figured being in the shoes of an average employee would be a nice change of pace from being a huntress. "Great! Just follow me, we need to get you in uniform." The manager quickly walked over to the office with Blake following behind. She didn't think she'd have to wear one, but here she was. She wore black slacks, normal boots, a white dress shirt with a red and black vest, finished with a bowtie around her neck. "...I-Is this really necessary?" She looked at herself before looking up to the manager with a confused look on her face,

He was happy alright, but it was those smiles that made troubles like these worth it. "Yes yes! You're all set. I'll just have you be in charge of walking up and down the steps during the movies and cleaning the restrooms and auditoriums. Sound good?" That didn't sound hard at all. Just walking and cleaning, that was much easier compare to fighting Grimm or the White Fang. "Yeah, just show me which room to begin with." Blake wondered how bad this could be.

Already she hated this job. The movie was loud from the speakers, and it was just so embarrassing to be walking up and down with people staring at her. Its not like she had a choice! Okay maybe she did at the start, but now she was deep into this mess. The good news was that the auditorium wasn't packed so it wasn't like she was being stared at every second. The explosions from the movies startled her, making her gasp from how sensitive her ears. Of course, Blake found herself tripping over the steps, making her fall forward. How nice it was to make herself look like an idiot...

Picking herself up, Blake immediately noticed her hands felt sticky. ("...Uuugh... did someone spill soda on the ground?") She thought, looking at her hands in disgust. Her ears perked up, hearing small talk occurring in one of the corners right across from where she was at. As she squirted a little bit of hand sanitizer hanging off her hip, Blake cleaned herself as she listened to the couple in the distance. They were simply talking until they began kissing in the dark. As much as she wasn't a fan of PDA, she longed for something like that. The kiss she gave to Kiryu a few nights ago, it was a moment she wished had a more romantic tone than a emotionally upset one. A sigh escaped her lips as she took a seat to watch the movie. Resting for ten minutes wouldn't hurt, right? Well it did. She couldn't stop hearing those two kissing. Those lips smacking and moans coming out their mouths, she cursed herself for having sensitive hearing. At one point she looked up in surprise. She swore she heard pants unzipping, only for her to suddenly feel uncomfortable when the sounds of sucking occurred. Quickly she stood up from her seat, walking down the steps to exit the auditorium as she had a bright blush on her face. ("Nope. Nope. Nope.")

Standing before a sink in the women's restroom, Blake washed her hands before she rinsed her face. Amber eyes gazed towards her reflection, noticing the tired look in her eyes, Her hair wasn't messy, and her mascara wasn't ruined. She took a step back, deciding to check herself out. "...huh, I don't look half bad." Blake couldn't help but to giggle to herself before pulling out her scroll. She'd do a pose, hand on hip with her eyes looking down at the camera while she smirked. Normally she wouldn't take a selfie, but it didn't hurt to try one every now and then. Just as her camera clicked, she'd inspect the photo before tucking the scroll away. At least there was one good thing about today. She needed that boost of confidence.

Taking a step out immediately made her regret joining this job. A large crowd was walking through the halls, loud chatter filling the lobbies as it struck time for the new premiere of a superhero movie. Wow, if only she had the luxury to enjoy a movie, but no. She was here helping people in Menagerie, even if it meant being an employee for the time being. 

The next three and half hours were pure torture for her. Her anxiety shot up through the roof from the large crowds of faunus filling every seat in the auditoriums. Walking up and down with at least a hundred eyes staring at her made it feel like she was being judged by everyone. Of course that wasn't the case, but she just hated being stared at. She also hated having to clean the restrooms. Why did women make such a bigger mess than men? Yet, why did men have such a smellier restroom? Having to clean the toilets, mopping the floor, Blake began to question her life choices. ("...is this what people have to do for low-paying jobs? No wonder that guy quit...")

Things were even more awkward as she passed down the hallway with a mop bucket and broom. Having to move something so large in a crowded space, it made Blake feel like she was just blocking people. The comments she received weren't there to make her feel better. Being told to move made her feel upset. The unhappy gazes she received were saddening, but the flirty comments bugged her the most. The first time it was flattering, by the fifth it grew old.

"Hey there, what's a cutie like-"

"Buddy, I'm just trying to do my job." Blake spoke in a monotone voice, eyes clearly showing how she was done with this shit. 

Once it was near the end of her shift, Blake found herself changing back to her regular attire. She felt bad for whoever had to take her place, but at least they had to deal with customers and not man-eating Grimm or an abusive ex-boyfriend that stalked her. "Ah, thank you so much for your help Ms. Belladonna! Here, take this as your payment." With a relieved smile, the manager handed Blake her pay for the shift, along with a free movie ticket that expires a month from now. Giving him a silent nod, the faunus took her leave before she took a breath of fresh air. Her stomach growled, calling for a lunch meeting. 

* * *

Finding herself sitting next to Kiryu in a small diner with Sun sitting across the table was the first moment of rest Blake was able to have. Comforting as it was, her face didn't express it very well. She was clearly exhausted from the movie theater job she had earlier. Her feet were sore, and her eyes were heavy. All the talking coming out of Sun's mouth about how he helped some kids play dodgeball just annoyed her. If it weren't for that mom, maybe she would've been able to help those kids. Slowly she began to rest her head upon Kiryu's shoulder, eyes closing as she scooted closer to the man. Sun raised a brow, looking towards the woman who rested herself onto Kiryu all of a sudden. "Uh, are you two a thing?" 

Her eyes slowly opened, followed by her head nodding. "Yeah." A small smile formed on her lips as she looked up to Kiryu, wondering what he had to say about it. His face was different, an uncertain look being expressed as he nodded. "I guess... yeah." 

Just the way he responded, it made her heart stop for a moment. What did he mean by that? Was he not into her? Did he really not feel the same way towards her? Why say "I love you" if he wasn't going to act on those words? It was heart breaking, as if Kiryu just took her heart and threw it to the ground, leaving an empty hole in her chest. Blake pulled herself away, looking away as her cat ears dropped. Already shefelt the urge to cry, but she couldn't. She was in public and didn't want to make a scene. Their food arrived, and Blake ignored the two men's chatter as she ate in her own little corner. She didn't understand this. Why did he tell her those words and suddenly push her away? He came all this way to Menagerie, not just to help but for her and he was suddenly acting the opposite. Regardless, she began to resent those feelings she had for him.

Once lunch was over and paid for, Blake pushed herself between the two men as she headed for the exit. "Woah, Blake! Where you going?" Sun called out, curious as to why Blake was suddenly upset. Kiryu watched as she stormed off, her fists tight and back hunched a bit. A sigh came out of him, wondering what he did wrong.

...

She was crying. No. Ugly sobbing as she sat at a bench near one of the playgrounds that were empty. She couldn't believe it, all their time spent together and he didn't even feel the same towards her. Blake found herself wiping her eyes with her sleeves, staining them as she sobbed out in pain. To not be shown the same amount of affection, it was awful. It made her feel like the world's biggest dumbass for falling for a guy who didn't care one bit about her. It made the numbing in her chest grow larger, the aching emphasized in how heart broken she felt. She didn't want to be crying out here anymore. She wanted to be at home, crying in her own bed where no one could see her. 

Making her way home, Blake hid her face from the public's view, trying her hardest not to cry. What made the trip worst was the thought of having to get pass her mother once she saw her daughter in tears. Approaching the steps to the mansion, Blake quickly opened the doors and walked as fast as she could to her room. Kali took notice, her smile changing to a look of concern as she tried to catch up. "Blake? What's wrong?"

As much as she didn't want to answer, she couldn't help it. "Everything!" Before her mother could respond, Blake made sure to shut her door behind her before locking it. Walking over to her bed, she'd plop her face into her pillow before relaxing her body. Every knock from her mother was ignored, the sound drowned as by her crying into her pillow. The thoughts about today, none of it felt good at all. Those stupid kids from earlier, that stupid theater job, and the fact some weirdo in his 30s gave Blake more affection than Kiryu himself. She began to squeeze the pillow, regretting the confession she made to him. No wonder she wanted to rest and be left alone. Every time she fought, things just didn't get better for her. She was always the one getting hurt.

Hours passed, and Blake found herself staring at the wall in her room. It was night outside, and the two men were already back home. Hearing how Sun laughed with Kiryu, it made her heart ache. She wanted to be the receiving end of that with her lover, but here she was crying in her room alone. She hated this. Every bit of it. It was no different than when she was with Adam, minus the gaslighting. At least she hoped it wouldn't ever come to that. She didn't want to handle another relationship like that. Just the thought of seeing someone behave completely different when entering a relationship, it made her uncomfortable just thinking about it. What if Kiryu wasn't as good of a person she thought he was? What if her expectations misled her, and having him here was all some big mistake she didn't see coming a mile away? Before she could bury her face into her pillow, she felt her scroll vibrating. Taking it out of her pocket, Blake wiped her eyes before seeing the messages she received.

 **[9:48pm Kiryu]** _Hey, are you okay?_

 **[9:50pm Kiryu]** _Sorry if I made you upset._

 **[9:51pm Kiryu]** _Can we talk?_

Oh, now he wanted to talk? How fucking great. Where was that the past few days when she needed him to? 

Blake picked herself up from her bed before she made her way towards the guest bedroom. She didn't bother knocking, she was opening this door regardless of what they were doing. Both Kiryu and Sun were inside, either laying on the bed or sitting on the floor. A look of annoyance was on Blake's face, seeing how happy these two were. "Get out, Sun."

"Huh? How co-"

"I said get out!"

With a nervous gulp, the faunus picked himself up before awkwardly stepping out of the room. With the door shutting behind her, Blake walked up to Kiryu before slapping him across the face. Tears began to prickle in her eyes, staring daggers down at the man she cared about. "I... hate you." 

A subtle look of surprise came out of Kiryu, his heart skipping a beat when he heard those words. "Wha-"

"I hate you!" Blake didn't bother to keep herself quiet. She was done with his neglection towards her. "How could you... How could you say I _love_ you and not mean any of it? Huh?! Tell me that, Kiryu." She stood there before him, hands on her hips as she tried not to lose herself. He was sad alright, not sure how to respond to the hurtful words he received. "...I... I'm sorry..."

"Sorry? Sorry for what? Neglecting me for the past few days and sounding upset when Sun asked if we were a thing?" She spat, her words filled with anger and frustration.

"Blake... its not like that..." 

"Oh its _not_ like that." She laughed through a broken sob, wiping her tears away before taking a step back. "You know what... I thought you were going to be nice and heartwarming, but no. You can't even do something like hold my fucking hand." Blake took a seat on the chair behind her against the wall, covering face as she began to sob. The next ten minutes passed, with nothing but Kiryu watching as Blake cried before her. He hated this, how she was hurting and it was all because of him. He stayed seated, not sure if standing up was a good idea. Blake would likely take it wrong and become even more hurt.

With her sobs calming down, she looked up with a tear-stained face. Her eyes gazing towards him, hurting as she wasn't receiving the love from her partner. "Just... tell me Kiryu. Tell me you were lying about you loving me, so I don't have to make the same mistake of loving the wrong person..." Blake inhaled through her sobs, her fists closed tightly on her knees. She was tired of getting hurt all the time. From Adam, to leaving her friends behind, and now this. Another failed relationship.

With a sigh, Kiryu approached the other, taking a knee before her as he held onto her hand. Just seeing her face, and her cat ears folded down, it showed him how much pain she was in. A reflection showing the damage he had done. "You're right... I shouldn't have ignored you. I-I'm sorry I wasn't the best partner for you... I'm not very good at these things to begin with." He frowned, looking down from her eyes. It felt shameful to look her in the eyes anymore. "I... understand if you want to break up."

Sniffling as her eyes gazed at him, Blake wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "...what do you mean you're not good to begin with?"

An audible swallow came from him, looking to the side before his eyes closed. "I mean... I'm not very good with romantic things. Stuff like hand holding, to hugging you, I get nervous thinking you'd find it uncomfortable. That, or I just don't know what to do in these situations." That was it? Oddly enough, Blake grew a faint smile before him. "Kiryu... you're such a dumbass." Being called that made him look up to her. To see her smiling, it was a nice turn in this moment they were having. "...W-What do you mean?"

Moving her hands onto his, Blake sniffed as she began to caress the back of his hand. "What I mean is... you're not going to make me uncomfortable with little things like that. I've been watching how you reacted when I made the first move, and you always hesitated. It.. hurt. It really hurt, to not receive the same level of affection from you. When Sun asked if we were a thing and you sounded so unsure, it broke my heart. It sounded like you weren't even sure yourself if you were in love with me..." She began to choke on her words near the end, slightly shivering as she bit her bottom lip. "...I... I really do love you, but I need you to show me that you love me... because we're suppose to be a team. You and me." She cupped his hand, only to squeeze it as she began to sob once again. 

Within a second, Kiryu wrapped his arms around the other. He didn't want her to cry anymore, especially because of him. His embrace, it was what she longed for. To be held and protected, to be shown someone out there really cared about her wellbeing. "...I'm sorry Blake. I'll do better from now on. Please, forgive me." With a choked sob, Blake hummed in response. Her arms held onto him just as tight as he was holding her. "Please... if you ever feel unsure, or scared, just tell me. I want to be there for you, just how I will be for you. Can you promise me that, Kiryu?"

For some reason, that struck a chord in his heart. Normally he was the one fighting, protecting, and helping. To be on the receiving end, it gave him a fresh change of pace. "...Y-Yeah... yeah..." He nodded, taking a breath to soothe his nerves.

The next few minutes were spent with the two hugging each other, only to pull away. A clear look of sorrow was on Kiryu's face, feeling Blake's hand caressing his cheek. "You're a good man, you know that?" She gave out a chuckle, smiling as she leaned in to kiss him on the lips. Quickly his frown turned to a smile. "Y-Yeah... you're an amazing woman." He leaned in, pressing his forehead against his partner's, a hand caressing her wrist as he took comfort in her grasp. To be held like this, it made him feel like he could lower his guard completely for once, and let someone else take care of the fight. 

The sound of the door falling startled the couple, with Kali quickly picking herself up. "O-Oh would you look at that! They're both fine!" She laughed nervously, with Sun chuckling as Ghira rubbed his nose. "I can't believe this Kali..."

"Mom?! D-Dad?! What are you guys doing?!" Blake stood up, clearly bothered by their intrusion of her privacy. 

"W-Well... your mother told me you were upset, and I came down to have a word with Young Kiryu... until you beat me to the punch- I mean slap." Ghira sighed, a look of relief on his face as he gazed over his daughter. Blake rubbed her face clean of all her tears, sighing as she wasn't amused at this situation. "I'm fine dad... I'm fine. Kiryu didn't mean to hurt me. He just has a lot of learning to do , so please don't be mad at him." She held his hand, smiling brightly at her lover. The sight was enough to make Kali smile. "Aww... look at you two. Kiryu, please don't ever scare us like this again. I couldn't handle seeing our daughter going through another break up."

"What she said! If I find you hurting our daughter, there will be consequences. Understand?" Folding his arms, Ghira stared down at Kiryu. "Of course, I'll do my best." With a nervous gulp, Kiryu bowed to the parents, watching as they were content with the outcome of this situation. Sun found himself stepping in, giving the two a bright smile before he grabbed his scroll and left the room. Blake turned to her parents, now glaring at them. "Next time, just knock... its already embarrassing enough to be seen crying with you two standing there. Both parents nodded, deciding to take their leave after acknowledging their daughter's words. Blake sighed in relief, turning back towards her partner. "...so you really don't know how to be in a relationship?" Kiryu frowned at the idea, nodding as he acknowledged how awkward he behaved with women. "...Yeah." Strangely enough, Blake giggled as she found it to be cute. "That's alright, you just need to follow your gut."

"My... gut?"

"Yeah, like if we're walking side by side, you can hold my hand. You don't always have to wait for me to make the first move."

"I see... alright..." He cupped his chin, wondering of the many possibilities he could express his affection for Blake. "So... basically something like this?" Blake raised a brow, only to feel Kiryu pulling her into another kiss with his hand on the back of her neck. It caught her off guard for a moment, but a small hum of content expressed her liking for it. "Mm... y-yeah... but there's something I want you to do for me. Something... that proves you really, really love me. That I'm not just some other woman for you." 

Oh boy, what would this request be? He knew relationships were suppose to be unconditional, but she did have the right to ask this after he practically left her feelings ignored for almost a week. "Something? Like what..?" Biting her bottom lip, Blake's cheeks turned pink as she began to squeeze his hands. A look of hesitation was on her face before she gazed up at him. 

"...I want you to sleep with me tonight."


	6. Mr. Shakedown

Lights were blocked by the curtains, leaving her bedroom completely dark. Slowly, Kiryu felt his eyes opening up. He could smell the scent of her hair beneath his nose, along with the texture brushing up against his chest. That's right, he slept with Blake. No sex. Just a night of cuddling and light kissing. He didn't mind it, it was a start to their new relationship, and his journey into learning how romance works. He slowly pulled his arms away, unwrapping around the faunus' torso since he kept her close during their slumber. She didn't move, which was good since he didn't want to wake her. Kiryu took a look of his surroundings, only to notice his clothes were folded on top of a chair, with Blake's hanging on one of the arm rests. He gave out a groan, realizing he had gone to bed in just in briefs. He'd need some sleeping shorts or whatever just feel less naked. He gazed down at his partner, noticing how her yukata she wore for bed had slipped off one of her shoulders. With a feint smile he carefully pulled it up to conceal her skin. She was closer to the edge than he was, which wasn't a good thing. Kiryu began to climb out of his covers and over Blake, not wanting to wake her. Once he was standing in the open room, he'd begin getting dressed. The sounds of clothes ruffling and a belt being buckled made one of Blake's ears twitch. A small moan from her was a cue that she was finally waking up. Stretching her arms, the faunus noticed an unusual emptiness beside her, only to open her eyes to see Kiryu fixing his shirt. Her lips formed into a smile, her body sitting up slowly as she moved her hair behind her shoulders. "...Good morning."

Reciprocating the smile, Kiryu walked over to plant a kiss over Blake's lips. "Morning, you slept well?"

"Never better." She giggled, hands pulling him closer. "Why are you awake so early..? Its early, right?" Checking his watch, Kiryu shook his head. Seems like his lady was too comfortable. "No, we slept in pretty good. I guess last night must've tired you out." Another giggle came out of Blake, her hand resting against his chest. "Maybe... but it was one of the best nights I had." 

"Even if all we did was cuddle?"

"Yeah, but you kept scratching my ears." Blake's cat ears twitched excitedly, something that Kiryu couldn't help himself but to play with. His hand begun to scratch Blake's head, a purr coming out of her. It was a sign that the man was making her feel comfortable. "...You know... you're probably the only person I'd let to scratch my head like this." She looked up to him, her eyes blinking slowly as she was still drowsy. She watched as Kiryu began to move beside her, her body instinctively scooting closer so she could rest her head on him. "Can't we sleep a little more?" There was no reason not to, which made the man agree to the idea. "I wouldn't mind that, want me to continue petting you?

"Yes please.~" She giggled before brushing up against him affectionately as she began to feel his fingers scratching her head once more. It was such a comforting feeling she received from him. Warm, gentle, and oddly ticklish. She wrapped her arms around his waist, ignoring the fact her yukata slipped off her shoulder because she knew Kiryu would bring it up. Just as he did what she expected, a hum of delight came out of Blake. "You're such a good boyfriend... you know that?" That took him off guard, all he did was cover her up. "How so?" Kiryu gazed down at her, who had that tired smile on her lips. It wasn't seductive or anything romantic. Just a look of someone who was waking up from their slumber, which Kiryu found to be cute coming from her. With a yawn, Blake moved herself to get more comfy as she snuggled up to her boyfriend. "Well... you're nice to me, you care about my well being, my parents like you-"

"Thank goodness for that."

"Oh yeah, tell me about it. My dad didn't like Adam and he demanded I break up with him at one point." A short laugh came out of her, eyes looking up to Kiryu before she booped him on the nose. "...But you're special. You're not like Adam. You're too caring for people to go out of your way to help them out." Blake slowly began to sit up, her lips pursing in thought of her next question. "What about you? Any thoughts about me?" Interesting question... how the hell could he answer that? Was this another part of learning what romance was? Speaking out about what made one fall in love?

Kiryu hummed in thought, hand cupping his chin. Just the way he scratched his beard, it was oddly arousing to the faunus. "I suppose it was how you approached me first, and you continued to be there by my side. I guess what sealed the deal was you kissing me first. I wouldn't have figured you had feelings for me since Beacon." His answer was enough to make Blake blush in embarrassment. "W-Well I wouldn't say it was when we first met, but the longer I stuck around the more I began to realize how special you were. I mean, you ARE a scary looking person who scared off a lot of students."

"Wow, thanks for the compliment." Gently he pushed the faunus away, smiling in tease. Blake gave out a laugh as she picked herself back up, cuddling up to him. "Okay! But you know its true, but I think that's what made you catch my eye. Most students seem happy or boring like me... so you were refreshing to see. Then when I learned you were a gangster, it sort of made me feel like I wasn't the only one with a past I wanted to hide." Blake pressed her head against his arm, smiling warmly as she gave him a small squeeze. "I suppose you and I aren't too different." She inched closer, planting a kiss onto his jawline. Just as Kiryu blushed from the warm kiss he felt, his eyes noticed the door being knocked on. Blake pulled away to see her mother opening the door. "Good morning you two, breakfast is ready!" Thank goodness it was Kali and not Ghira. Kiryu would probably find himself receiving a death glare every father gives to their daughter's boyfriend. 

Finding himself at the dining table with Blake and her family, Kiryu found himself munching on the cooked fish Kali made for them. Blake was excited to chew onto the meal, while Kali tried her best to conceal her excitement. "So, tell me Young Kiryu. Uh... where exactly are you from? I haven't bothered to ask, have I?" Ghira cleared his throat, wishing to learn more about his daughter's boyfriend. "I'm from Tokyo, its in Mistral."

"I see, and what's it like over there?"

"I'm specifically from a city in Tokyo called Kamurocho. Its... very compact to say. Think of a urban area with skyscrapers and tall buildings. There's also quite a lot of people there." 

"I see... and, do tell me. How is the Grimm problem over there?" Good question. Now that he thought about it, Kiryu rarely saw Grimm in his time in Tokyo. "It varies on the location. Cities have less problems do to the police and armed forces. Only in the countryside do our people face more Grimm on a daily basis. Sort of how Menagerie is."

Nodding his head, Ghira figured that was all he had time to ask about him. "Very well, thank you for telling me this. Perhaps when I'm not busy with my work, we can have a longer chat." With a smile, the chieftan stood up to bring his plate to the kitchen. Sun looked over to Kiryu, already amused by what he learned. "So no Grimm huh? Sounds like it'd be a blast living there!" Oh Sun, if only you knew how expensive it was to live in Tokyo.

Standing up, Kiryu took his and everyone's finished plates. "Oh dear, you don't have to wash them." Kali spoke up as she watched Kiryu taking them to the kitchen. "Its alright, allow me to show my thanks by helping you out." He'd step into the kitchen, carefully stacking the plates into the sink before he began washing. A smile of amusement was on Kali's face, her head turning to her daughter. Already Blake knew she was going to say something. That smug look of her's, it was always something that could embarrass the feline. "Mom, please..."

"You know he's good husband material."

A groan came out of Blake as hid her face against the table, ignoring how Sun was laughing at her comment. "Ugh, you're the worst..." She'd playfully tap her mother's shoulder, watching as Kali stood up. "Just be sure to invite me to the wedding." Blake felt her cheeks turning hot, hearing her mother's comments. She was sweet, but damn she was also a curse. "...Alright, Sun. Did you learn anything about whoever is controlling the Suburbs?" Seeing Sun shake his head, a small sigh escaped her lips. "Guess we're going back there once more..." Standing up, Blake made her way to the kitchen, where Kiryu was finished drying the plates. 

Turning his head, a smile was on his face as the faunus approached him. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my stuff." Blake pecked his cheek before making her way to her room. Grabbing Gamble Shroud and her scroll, she'd make her way to the front doors where Kiryu and Sun were waiting for her.

* * *

A groan came out of the monkey faunus, noticing how nothing unusual was present. "We've already checked the suburbs five times! Can't we go check on the seaport or something?" As much as he wanted to, Kiryu frowned as he shook his head. "No, we can't. We've already spent so much time here that we probably caught the attention of the guy we're looking for."

"He's right. We're not even sure if he has a gang of his own. I... didn't notice any thugs here actually. Have you guys seen them?" Blake grew worried, wondering if this was all some elaborate scheme or just a waste of time. Sun cupped his chin, only to shrug. "I actually didn't fight any thugs out here. Maybe this guy does his work on his own?" No thugs, no presence of this captain, this man had to be doing his own dirty work. "...He's probably hiding somewhere. Some place the people don't normally live. Are there homeless nearby?" Kiryu spoke up, wondering if that was their next big clue.

Blake thought for a moment, only to nod. "Yeah, its in an area called East Aisle, but I didn't bother to check since the homeless can be pretty grouchy." Sun agreed to the statement. "Me neither. Figured they must've want their own peace and silence."

"Alright then, we'll probably find our guy there. Stick close." Kiryu began to make his way to the homeless section of the suburb. Blake made sure to give directions so they could find their way to East Aisle. When the sight of blue tents and metal pallets were shown, Kiryu felt a hit of nostalgia. ("Reminds me of West Park.") Blake tapped his shoulder, wanting to see where he was looking at. "Hey, are you sure he might be here? The homeless aren't exactly the nicest people around here." Not the nicest, huh? That wasn't a problem for him. "Don't worry about it. I can defend myself." Caressing her hand, Kiryu wanted to reassure Blake he would be safe. The trio began walking down East Aisle, observing the environment in case anything stuck out. So far, trees and tents were the biggest eye catchers. Nothing else seemed to stand out. Sun gave out a groan, deciding to just approach one of the homeless people directly. "Hey dude, mind if I ask you a few questions?"

"Only if you give me a beer. Then I'll talk!"

Blake raised a brow at him, turning to Kiryu with an unsure look on her face. "What should we do?" Kiryu sighed, gesturing Sun to go and purchase beer. "He's our first lead, and from what I've seen, the homeless do hold a lot of information." Kiryu watched as Sun took off before taking a seat onto the bench beside him. Blake grabbed onto his hand as she sat next to him. She'd cross her legs and lean against her boyfriend, not wanting to look at the homeless man who was staring at them for a good moment. 

It'd be some time before Sun returned, holding what appeared to be a simple bottle of beer. "Here you go man, a nice cold beverage for that dry mouth of yo-"

"Shut up!" Taking out his knife, the man popped the cap off despite how he intimidated the faunus. With a few gulps, a sigh of relief came out as he leaned back onto his hands. "Phew! Its been a while since I had a cold drink like this. Alright, what do you wanna know?" Finally, they could get some answers. Blake stood up, standing beside Sun as she cupped her hands in thought. "Well... maybe you could tell us if there's been someone causing problems around here?"

"What kinda problems?"

"Like... holding control over the suburbs?" She hoped that was a good question. Deep down she was slightly afraid this man would just snap at her. Instead, a sigh of relief came out as the homeless man cupped his chin in thought. "Hm... I've heard 'bout a man like that. Just goes up to people and shakes them down of all their money. Calls himself 'Mr. Shakedown', pretty clever name in my opinion." Oh fucking god, that kind of guy was here in Menagerie? Kiryu dealt with plenty of them back in Kamurocho, and he never did find them to be fun to fight against. "...Alright, where is he?" The homeless man turned to point down the street. "Go down here and take a left. He's sleeping inside a small wooden cabin. Just be careful, the man is twice your size. Literally!" He began to laugh, which was oddly disturbing to hear. Blake held onto Kiryu's hand before moving. "L-Let's just go..." She didn't feel comfortable being near this man.

Walking down the street and taking a left as instructed, Kiryu noticed a wooden shack placed in the corner of a small square lot. That was kind of am odd place to sleep in. Carefully he approached the shack, deciding to knock. "H-Hey man! What are you doing?!" Sun freaked out for a moment, wondering why Kiryu just casually knocked onto a captain's door. "Don't you know we're going up against some big guy?"

"Sun relax. I'm sure Kiryu knows what he's doing." Blake glared towards Sun, turning to see Kiryu knocking once more. "Is he in there? I don't hear any breathing." She stepped closer, her cat ears not picking up any sounds. With a shake of her head, Blake decided to open the shack's door. Walking inside with her group, there were lots of duffel bags littering the floor. Some bags were opened, showing the contents inside. Lots and lots of cash were stored in these bags, enough for someone to retire for the rest of their life with this quantity of money. 

"...Holy shit." Kiryu looked around, wondering just how many people this man had shaken, and who knows for how long? "Dude... how much money is this?" As much as he wanted to cop a few bills, Sun knew this was stolen money. Blake felt her fists closing tight, her ears perking up. "...This man took so much money from the faunus... as if he was purposely trying to make their lives harder for his own benefit." A sound of footsteps caught her attention, forcing Blake to turn around. Her eyes narrowed down at the rather large man who blocked their exit from this square lot. He wore a simple suit, along with a fedora hat. His horse ears and fur on his chest were also exposed. He didn't look so happy to see the three standing there in his base. 

"...You there. Come here." He pointed to Blake, who immediately felt threatened. Just his voice, it was as if he had run out of patience already. Slowly she stepped out of the shack with Kiryu and Sun, a hand by her hip just in case. "...What do you want with me?"

His eyes glared down at Blake, taking a step closer. "I don't like your ears, give me your money before I make you." So direct of him. "And why should I?" Blake scowled at him, taking out her weapon without hesitation. An annoyed look came out of Mr. Shakedown, his body taking on a fighting stance with his hands held out. "Because I control this area and I want your money. You stupid or somethin'?"

Kiryu glared at the man before he pulled his partner back towards him. "Blake, he won't listen. I've fought idiots like these people. They just beat up people and steal their money." Even if it was three against one, something felt off. Blake heard footsteps approaching behind Mr. Shakedown, noticing the homeless men from earlier now standing beside him. She took a step back, shocked to see how they were actually on Mr. Shakedown's team. "You're insane... why are you people siding with him?!" Blake cried out.

"Heh, because this man rules our territory! He took care of every faunus that picked on us homeless folk." One of the homeless men cried out.

"We had nowhere else to call home, we were at the very bottom of the barrel! So when you faunus demand equality and pick on your homeless folk, that's when you're just full of shit!" Another one was angry, clearly unhappy towards Blake and her team. "But we're actually trying to help-!"

"Don't give me that crap! If you wanted to help us, where were you when those kids were hunting us down and taking us out?! HUH?!" One of them shouted, clearly upset. Blake felt terrible, not knowing such horrendous acts were happening towards these men. Kiryu frowned, remembering the homeless men back at Kamurocho who dealt with the same issue. Anyone who saved them immediately gained their respect. Still, he had to speak up. "And what of the rest of the people? You think its okay to let this man go and steal money from the innocent who never laid a hand on you?" Of course that did bother a few men, but they stood their ground.

With a stomp of his foot, Mr. Shakedown caught the attention of everyone. "Enough! I'll be taking your three's wallets, and I'll leave the homeless men here to get their revenge on people like you." It seemed like none of these men were going to listen. Kiryu took a step before Blake, arms raised to fight. "I'll handle him, Sun you take care of the homeless. Blake, you're our support."

"You got it man!" Sun grinned, immediately going to town on the numerous men who surrounded the ground. 

"RIght! I got your back." Blake began to attack those that came close to Kiryu or Sun, leaving Kiryu to fight against Mr. Shakedown. He'd throw a few punches at the larger man, quickly backing away as the larger man threw a few heavy punches that covered a wide area. One of them struck Sun, who flew against a wall rather painfully. Crap, that wasn't good. Blake came to his side, fending off the men who tried to gang up on Sun.

Kiryu found himself grabbing one of the homeless men by their collars, throwing him over his shoulder to have their legs strike Mr. Shakedown. While it worked, it barely made the larger man flinch. For now, Kiryu focused on landing a few quick punches before evading his attacks. Blake decided to use her weapon unsheathed to prevent any major damage to these men. They were already suffering enough as is, and she didn't need to make it worse on them. She'd kick at any of the men who came close to her, only to gasp as she felt two hands grabbing her chest from behind. Her eyes opened up, crying out in shock as she tried to pull away. "Get off me!" With her semblance, she'd move out of the homeless man's grip, leaving him stuck in a frozen statue of her clone thanks to an ice dust she carried. Sun took the chance to bash the homeless man's head against the ice statue with his staff, putting him down. "Jeez man! Ever heard about keeping your hands to yourself?" Looking up, Sun quickly ducked as Mr. Shakedown threw one of the homeless men at him. 

Still standing, Kiryu continued to evade the attacks from Mr. Shakedown's. When he stopped to catch his breath, Kiryu's neck was grabbed before Mr. Shakedown lifted him into the air. The larger man began squeezing as tight as he could, choking the life out of the former yakuza. Helpless to escape, Kiryu tried kicking and punching to free himself but to no avail. "Blake!" Sun pointed to the larger man, only to turn to the group of men he was fighting. Blake looked up after putting a man down to see Kiryu being choked severely. Her heart skipped a beat, only for her to rush in and boost herself using her semblance to land a powerful kick at Mr. Shakedown's chest. It was enough to have the larger man drop Kiryu, who was gasping for air. "Kiryu! Are you okay?" She was worried, helping her lover to his feet. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine... just stay back from him." Watching Mr. Shakedown's body glow in a yellowish aura, Kiryu gulped nervously. He knew it was about to get bad. "Go, its about to get messy..." Kiryu rubbed his neck, now deciding it was time to return the pain. Hearing his words, Blake glared at the thief before backing away to handle the homeless men. She made a mental note to return a painful attack for hurting her love.

Quickly Kiryu backed away, watching wherever Mr. Shakedown's arms swung to make sure he didn't get hit. The only people getting hurt were the homeless men that Blake or Sun didn't put down yet. Kiryu continued to evade the larger man's attacks before he was cornered. Before Mr. Shakedown could land a punishing hit on him, Kiryu threw a tiger drop at the larger man, stopping him from landing that hit earlier. A tiger drop was a quick counter attack that punched someone's gut, enough to stun anyone in the middle of their attack. Stopping to catch his breath, Kiryu threw both his fists at the sides of Mr. Shakedown's head, bringing him into the air before he brought down their head onto his knee.

With all of the homeless men taken care off, Blake Sun and Kiryu watched as Mr. Shakedown now had a bloodied face from Kiryu's Heat Action. He glared at the three, slowly trying to stand up. Before he could rush in and grab Kiryu, Blake intervened. "Oh no you don't!" She used her semblance to teleport herself all over the larger man, striking down at him all over his body with Gamble Shroud or with her kicks until she finished him off with a high kick, the bottom of her heel striking against his chin. It was enough to send the man falling onto his back, putting him down for good.

All three were panting, with Sun having to take a seat. "Phew... guess we really shook him down. Eh?" He gave out a short laugh, which didn't earn any from the other two.

"...I never liked fighting these type of thugs..." Kiryu sat against the wall, whereas Blake knelt before him. She had a worried look on her face as she inspected his neck. "Are you okay..? He really squeezed the life out of you." With a hand wave, Kiryu nodded. He wanted to reassure Blake for the time being. She gave out a sigh of relief, deciding to peck him on the lips before standing up. Approaching the fallen thug, Blake glared at him. "This money, did you really collect it all by yourself?"

"...yeah... so what if I did..?" Mr. Shakedown had his hand to his gut, clearly annoyed that Blake was the one who took him down. She grew uncomfortable, wondering why he thought this wasn't a big deal when in fact it was hurting the lives of those he affected. "Don't you understand how much pain you're putting the people through? Who's paying you to do this?" A small chuckle came out of the thug, who shook his head. "I'm not obligated to tell you anythin'... just know you're in for a lot of trouble once he finds out."

Her ears rose up, hearing that last bit. "He? Who do you mean by _he?"_ Blake stared daggers into him, wanting to know who was setting up these men to create trouble for the faunus of Menagerie. Another chuckle came out of Mr. Shakedown, who shook his head. "...Like I said, I ain't telling." Without hesitation, Blake kicked him in the face, realizing he was just going to be arrogant and not say a word. 

Sun and Kiryu stood up, both watching as Blake took out her scroll to call the police. It wasn't long before the authorities showed up, hand cuffing every homeless man involved and Mr. Shakedown. A few officers stepped inside the shack, collecting the money that was stolen. As much as she wanted to simply give back the stolen funds to the locals, Blake knew the police had to handle that issue. She turned to Kiryu and Sun, letting out a sigh as her cat ears dropped. "...Well we took down another captain, but we still haven't learned why they're doing this to the faunus."

Sun frowned, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, that Alister guy didn't want to tell us anything either. Seems like these captains really have their lips shut."

"Then we just have one more to take care of. They're likely to be the most dangerous, so let's be careful." One more captain, that was all that was left. Kiryu cupped his chin, wondering who was ordering these men to do cause trouble for the faunus. There had to be a mastermind behind all this, there always was.

* * *

"Nice job today you two!" Sun smiled as he held up a glass bottle of soda towards Blake and Kiryu. The other two lifted their glasses as well, all having decided to just grab a lunch after a tiring afternoon. After the defeat of Menagerie's Mr. Shakedown, the trio made their way back to the Marketplace where one of the vendors happily gave the team a discounted lunch. Sun had fried fish on sticks, as well as some sides of sushi. Kiryu had the same, along with a beef bowl. Blake had ordered purely fish, not minding the bones in them. It was oddly cute to watch his girlfriend munch down onto her meal like a kid. With a happy sigh, Kiryu downed his shot of sake. "So, after this are we heading to the Seaport to start seeing what's going on there?"

Swallowing his food, Sun shrugged at the idea. "I don't see why not? We got the rest of the day to get this stuff overwith." Blake looked up to the two, wondering if the Seaport was going to be as tough as they assumed it would be. "With the last Captain, I wonder if it'll really be tough. I didn't fight Alister, how tough was he?"

"He..." Sun cupped his chin, humming in thought. "What do you think, Kiryu?"

"Huh? Why are you asking me?" He raised a brow, unsure why he was shifting the question onto him.

"Well I'm asking because you're the one who took him down!" Sun laughed, finishing off one of his sticks. With a sigh, Kiryu cupped his chin. "I would say he was tougher than Mr. Shakedown, but that's only because I've fought shakedowns back in Kamurocho." Turning towards Blake, Kiryu noticed her eyeing his sushi. He smiled before handing the woman his plate, whereas she gave out a excited gasp before munching down on the pieces. It was cute to see her eating like this. "...Actually, Sun. Why don't we have the day off for now?" 

That threw off the monkey. "Day off? Is it because..?" He could already guess why. Blue eyes turned towards Blake, who was stopped chewing when she realized Kiryu and Sun were staring at her. "...w-what?"

"Sure man, today we can have the day off, we've been busting our asses this whole week." Leaning back in his chair, Sun rubbed his belly before deciding to close his eyes. 

Blake swallowed her meal, golden hues gazing at her boyfriend. "Why do you want the day off tomorrow?" While she didn't mind, it did make her curious. Kiryu didn't seem like the type to ask for breaks. "Well... I figured maybe you and I could go on an actual date. All we've done was fight together. Maybe we could actually do something?" As cute as that was, Blake knew there was still a lot to be done. But...

"Alright... I suppose that could work. A break wouldn't hurt now and then." Standing up from her seat, Blake picked up her trash before dumping it in a trash bin nearby. "I guess we'll see you later, Sun." The blonde waved back at them, deciding he would head home and take a long nap.

Kiryu had his hand intertwined with Blake, a smile on his face. For once, he felt like he could actually roam Menagerie without having to worry about anything. "So, where should we head off to?"

"Where to? I... wouldn't know. Menagerie doesn't exactly offer a lot of places to visit." She tapped her chin, only to realize an idea. "A-Actually, there's this really cool bookstore I saw earlier! Can we go there?" Her sudden change of excitement was surprising to say, but nonetheless it was a new side he got to see from her. "Heh, sure. Care to lead the way?" Kiryu smiled as he found himself walking faster than usual with Blake towing him. The two were quick to arrive at a bookstore in the main street of Menagerie. Stepping inside, he'd notice the store was small. Cases of CDs were present, along with shelves with books. Kiryu began to feel himself getting dragged around the store, where Blake had taken him to the romance-fiction sections. Oh boy...

For the next twenty minutes, Kiryu distracted himself by reading the first few paragraphs of the books Blake recommended for him to read. "And this one? Its about a man with two souls struggling for control over his body. Its really sad, but at the same time it has one of the best endings..!" She tried to keep her voice down, but she couldn't help it. She was just excited to bring somebody into her world of heaven, especially someone she was held feelings for. "I see... and what's this one?" Kiryu opened another book, noticing the first page spoke about ninjas who had to abide by the rule of not falling in love. "Oh, that one? I've read it a bunch of times. Its basically about two ninjas falling in love when they couldn't and-"

For now Kiryu had to take a breath. There was so much she was saying that it was difficult to keep up with. Still, he was happy to put up with it if it meant making Blake happy. He noticed Blake taking the book off him suddenly. "Actually, you might not like this one. Its a girl's kind of book." She grinned, a hint of blush appearing over her cheeks. 

"I see... what makes it a girl's only kind of book?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"...Well I asked." Now he was getting a little impatient, wondering why he couldn't read the damn book. Blake giggled, noticing he was getting tired. She leaned into his ear, whispering. "...Its a yaoi romance novel." Ah, so that explains everything. "Huh, that makes sense. Is the story good at least?" Blake felt her eyes opening up, surprised to hear Kiryu wasn't fazed by the fact it was yaoi. "Y-Yeah! I mean... yeah." She hoped no one heard her small yell. "Plus, there's a really explicit photo in there, so maybe you don't want to read it. 

Hand on his hip, Kiryu nodded. "Yeah, you're right. I wouldn't be comfortable seeing naked photos of men..." He turned to one of the books on the shelf, deciding to grab it. It was something about an old samurai fighting in ancient times against Grimm. "Hm, I think I'll take this one." Blake had her own selection of books to read, so she decided to take only a few for now. 

"Hey Blake, why don't we head home for now? My feet are starting to kill me." Kiryu gave out a small smile, knowing they had plenty of the day left to do things. It was a bummer for her, but she understood where he was coming from. "Alright, maybe we can take a nap together. Is that fine?" She rubbed his arm, her eyes growing heavy after all they've done so far. The fighting, eating a heavy lunch, and the short date they had. A nap would be the best way to close things for now. She held onto his hand before walking back to the mansion.

...

Entering her house, Blake smiled as she felt the familiar comfort of her home, now enhanced with Kiryu holding her hand. The two made their way to Blake's bedroom, dropping off their bags onto her chair before taking a seat onto her bed. Removing his shoes, Kiryu sighed in relief as he laid down, only to feel Blake snuggling up close to him without her coat. She had a happy smile to her face as press her head against his arm, similar to how a cat would ask for attention. Of course, Kiryu wrapped his arm around the other's shoulders, bringing her head to his shoulder before a hand began to scratch her head. Purring came out of her, her hands rubbing along his chest. "...mm... please don't stop..."

The longer he'd pet her, the more affectionate she became. Rubbing her hand over his chest, Blake began to dig into his shirt, running her fingers over his skin. The texture was warm and smooth, given that Kiryu shaved himself of his chest hair. Her nails gently scratched between his breasts, her eyes gazing up as she moved in to kiss him. The cat would climb on top of him, deciding to wrap her arms around his neck. His fingers ran around the back of Blake's neck, bringing herself closer as their lips were sealed together. She wanted to enjoy the moment together with him, she was happy and didn't want anyone to take this moment from her. A hum of delight came out the longer the two kissed, her fingers playing with Kiryu's hair. Eventually she pulled away to breathe for a moment, a smile present on her face as she felt satisfied from their kiss. "I'd love to continue... but we should probably take that nap first." A short giggle came out of her as Kiryu grew a smile from hearing her words, deciding to bring his partner's head to his chest where he'd let her rest on top of him. Arms wrapped around her body, bringing their bodies close together. His embrace, she craved for its warmth and protection. It was something Adam could never give her, and here she was with the perfect man to satisfy her craving.

Closing her eyes, Blake found herself growing sleepy as Kiryu petted her. Her ears twitched a bit, but grew to relax as she slowly came to fall asleep. Feeling her soft breathing, Kiryu began to yawn as he too felt sleepy. In some sense, he longed to do this for her. He wasn't sure at first how to show her his affection towards her, but the more she and him kissed the clearer he understood how he felt towards Blake and why he wanted to do these things with her. His petting came to a stop, and his eyes began to shut close before he fell into an afternoon slumber with Blake resting on him. He enjoyed having her in his arms. 

* * *

Shaken by the noise of his name being cried out, Kiryu shot up in bed slightly. His sudden movement woke up the poor faunus who gave out a small whimper. "...mmm... Kiryu...what's wrong?" Blake rubbed her eye, trying to snuggle back onto her boyfriend. Kiryu gave out a small sigh, frowning as he rubbed his face. "I'm fine... I thought I heard someone calling my name. Blake felt her eyes opening up, moving away so she could look at him clearer. "...That's weird. So did I..." She turned to the door, deciding to get off her bed to see what was going on. She gave herself a small stretch, her back popping a bit before she slid on her white coat. Kiryu did the same, walking out of her bedroom and to the living room all while following behind Blake. He'd notice Kali and Sun were standing at the porch.

"Mom? What's wrong?" Growing worried but curious, Blake approached her mother before noticing someone walking down the main street towards their house. This guy, he was walking unevenly, a bottle in his hand as he wore an eyepatch and a jacket without a shirt under. Just his appearance, it made her shudder in disgust.

As he walked, the man took another swig of his bottle, burping a little as he stumbled his way across the pavement towards the Belladonna mansion. "K-Kiryu-Chan!" Kiryu? This man knew him? It made Blake turn around to look at her boyfriend with a worried expression. "Kiryu, someone here is calling for you. Do you know him?" A somewhat uncomfortable look was on his face, not wanting to admit it but he had to. "I... think I know who it is." He'd step between Kali and Sun, making his way towards the drunken man calling out to him. "Majima... what are you doing here?"

"Wait, Kiryu knows this guy?" Sun turned to Blake, who could only shrug in response. He turned to watch this Majima fellow hugging his friend in a drunk manner once they got close enough. "Kiryu-chan! I've been looking for you! Where... _hic_ where have you been man?! I was worried sick 'bout you!" The stench of alcohol reeked in Majma's mouth, making Kiryu move his head away in disgust. "I've been here... are you seriously drunk right now?"

Majima could only giggle as he nodded his head. Patting his shoulder, Kiryu gave out a sigh as he had to pull away from his intoxicated friend. "Majima... why did you come all this way?" A look of disapproval was on Kiryu, Majima had to have known that Menagerie wasn't a place welcoming for humans. As he wiped his lips, the Mad Dog leaned against a railing next to him. "I got so _bored,_ Kiryu-chan... don't you know how boring it is fighting the same thugs over and over again?"

"You literally fight me all the time."

" _But its fun!"_ He snickered, smiling as he turned to the three standing on the porch. "...Who're they? Your friends?" Majima gazed at each faunus standing there, all seemingly trying to smile at him. In return, he'd give a little wave before noticing Sun and Blake approaching him.

"Kiryu, who is this man? Is he your friend?" Blake asked in concern, something didn't sit right with her about Majima. He just seemed creepy and dangerous, which barely scratched the surface when describing the man's character. "Yeah, he's a close friend of mine. Majima, this is my partner Blake, and this is our friend Sun." Standing up straight as best he could, Majima shook hands with the two, a smile on his face. "Partner, huh? What, like you two dating or something?"

An annoyed look was on Blake's face, her arms crossing as she glared at him. "Yeah, do you have a problem with that?" 

"No! No! I don't. I mean, I just didn't think Kiryu had the _balls_ to actually date a woman!" Majima laughed as he patted Kiryu's shoulder, much to his embarrassment. Shrugging him off, Kiryu sighed as he turned to the Mad Dog. "Alright alright, now tell me Majima. How did you know I was even coming here?" Eyes turned to Kiryu's friend, who leaned against the railing once more. His shoes tapped together, the steel tips clanking as they gently bumped against one another. "...Well I went to the Kazama Family office, asked Kashiwagi where you went, and from there I bought a plane ticket and sailed here."

Letting out a small groan, Kiryu rubbed his nose as he began to feel bothered by this. He didn't mind seeing Majima, he was his close friend after all, but the man didn't _have_ to come all the way out here just to fight him. "...Majima, tell me you aren't being serious when you said you came all the way out here just to fight me?"

"Yep, but that's not my only reason."As he pushed himself off the railing, Majima patted his friend's shoulder before he made his way to the mansion. Gazing at Kali, Majima took a breath as he recognized her appearance. It was enough to make the woman uncomfortable. "May I help you?"

"Yeah, just gotta use the restroom. Mind showing me?" Majima smiled as Kali guided him inside her house, leaving the three outside to ponder on what just happened. "...He's not going to be a problem, is he Kiryu?" Blake turned to her partner, a worried look on her face. She didn't exactly feel comfortable having that man sticking around inside her house. Kiryu nodded his head, rubbing the faunus' arms to calm her nerves. "He'll be fine. I promise. I just need to have a few words with him and have him understand what our situation is." Hearing those words, it brought some comfort to Blake as she nodded in response. Her hands played with one of Kiryu's fingers, trying to calm herself. "...Alright. I trust you. He doesn't sit right with me though." 

"Yeah, me neither man." Sun chipped in, clearly bothered that his first impression of Majima was him strolling down the street while intoxicated.

The three stepped inside the house, all deciding to sit on the couch in the living room where Kali was sitting. All of them waited patiently for Majima to step out of the restroom, now calmer and less dirty than he initially looked like before arriving. He slowly strolled into the living room, deciding to take a seat upon one of the open seats. Of course, the atmosphere felt intense, that's how it always was with Majima. He knew how to hold everyone's attention. Clearing her throat, Kali decided to break the ice. "So, Mr. Majima was it? Care to introduce yourself to the rest of us?"

Gazing at everyone, Majima raised a brow as he noticed their uncomfortable stares at him. "What'd you wanna know?"

"Well..." Blake felt the need to ask first, since this _was_ her house, and he _was_ her boyfriend's best friend. "Mind telling us what you do?" His lips formed into a subtle smirk, leaning in as his fingers intertwined. "I run a construction company." Wait what? Kiryu blinked in surprise. "Hold on, a construction company? What happened to you being in the clan?"

"Oh that? Yeah, some petty bullshit came up and I had to dip. One of my boys-" Gazing at Kali and Blake, Majima cleared his throat. Seems like he was going to have to be vague with the details towards the people welcoming him. "...Did something to one of the captains. Had to leave so none of my boys got hurt... Actually. That reminds me! You know 'bout that White Fang, Kiryu?"

The White Fang? That caught Blake's full attention. She watched as Majima began to explain how they attacked some of his men back in his city, stating that they wanted some property rights to the construction site to expand their organization. "Kamurocho... that's where you lived, right Kiryu?"

"Yeah, but I don't understand... why would they suddenly start trying to expand in Tokyo?" Kiryu cupped his chin, his eyes moving towards to the ground in thought. "Its because Beacon fell, remember? The White Fang's presence grew a lot since the academy fell, now people are shittin' themselves everytime they see that white banner." Majima glared in annoyance. "...and those damn people went and attacked my boys, when they haven't done a damn thing to 'em."

Kiryu looked up, wondering for a moment before he came to realize. "...Is that why you're really here? To attack the White Fang in retaliation?" Waving his hand, the Mad Dog smiled at his friend. "Yep, figured those assholes would be here since you came all the way out here. You're taking care of the White Fang too, right?" Scratching his head, Kiryu frowned for a moment. "Actually, no. I came here after Beacon fell because of a letter Blake had given me. That and..." He stopped to remember his last encounter with Jo Amon. "...There was an assassin sent by Adam to take me out in Kamurocho."

The news did throw Blake off, her hands shaking as she remembered Kiryu telling her this back on the boat ride to Menagerie. "...I never did ask, but that assassin you mentioned, was it the same one from Beacon?" Just that man's face alone, it sent a shiver down her spine. His glasses concealing his eyes made him seem like he was something more than a regular human being. "Yeah... it was him." Kiryu took a breath, reminiscing the night Beacon fell and how he nearly succumbed to death once Adam came in after his battle with Amon. 

"Oi, what assassin?" Majima felt the need to know, after all he didn't like the words he was hearing. "Majima, do you remember Jo Amon?"

"...Yeah."

"Well... he was at the Fall of Beacon, and he fought me back in Kamurocho about a week ago before I came here. That man is being paid by Adam to take out anyone close to Blake." Just hearing his words, Majima glared at his feet. He took a deep breath, leg bouncing as he looked up to Kiryu. "...So that asshole is back, huh." Her ears rose up, hearing the Mad Dog's words. "W-What do you mean? Have you fought him before?" Blake asked, her hand now moving to grab onto Kiryu's to calm herself down. 

"Yeah. Fought him a few months ago, wanted to off me because of some stupid test of strength."

"...So its the same reason he fought Kiryu then..." She frowned, now feeling upset that both Kiryu and Majima had dealt with this man. Sun stood up, a surprising smile on his face. "Well then, by the sound of it we now have _two_ dudes who can take on an assassin! C'mon guys, cheer up! We got other problems here to take care of!" Looking up at Sun, Majima raised a brow. "What kind of problems?"

Scratching the back of his head Sun took his seat on the couch again before crossing his legs. "Stuff like three captains who are making the lives of the faunus here harder than it should be. We already took two down, we just need one more!" He smiled, knowing that the team was so close to making Menagerie a safer place. 

"That... and the White Fang are here too." Blake chipped in, her head resting against Kiryu's shoulder. Just hearing that was enough to make the Mad Dog smile in amusement. "...And you've been helping them, eh Kiryu-chan?" Just the way he said his name, Kiryu always smiled from how funny it sounded. "Yeah."

Standing up, Majima clapped his hands before smiling at the four. "Alright then, count me in! I need to give some of these White Fang pricks a piece of my mind for hurting my boys and trying to steal my property." Kali smiled at the news she heard, deciding to get up from her seat. "If that's the case, then I'd like to extend my thanks to you, Majima. Please feel free to stay in the guest room with Sun for tonight. I'll be sure to let my husband know about your presence." Taking off, Kali made her way to Ghira's office, leaving Majima to wonder for a moment.

"...She got a husband? Shit, if he owns a place this big he must be a big name."

"He is, my father was the former White Fang leader. He left because the group thought he was too pacifistic. Now he's just the Chieftan of Menagerie." Blake spoke as she trailed a finger down Kiryu's arm. She didn't like reminiscing the moment she heard her parents had left, how she yelled at them and insulted them. It was such a ignorant mindset she had at the time that she wished she could undo. Her head felt warm all of a sudden, looking up to see Kiryu petting her once more. She cherished these gestures of his, it was like he knew when to step in to help calm her down. In some sense, he was her best medicine.

"Majima, there's just one thing you need to know." Kiryu looked up to his friend, a serious look on his face. Majima raised a brow, waiting a response. "We're both representing Kamurocho here, so please don't say the F-word in front of her dad."


	7. Enter the Mad Dog

"Mm... this shit is _delicious!~"_ Majima spoke as he chewed on the roasted fish Kali had served him for breakfast. While the mother did appreciate his compliment, Ghira wasn't amused at his vulgar language at the dinner table. "So... Mr. Majima, was it? What exactly do you do?" His eyes narrowed at the Mad Dog, clearly unhappy with the presence of Kiryu's friend. Swallowing his meal, Majima looked up with a smile towards the chieftan. "I run a construction company, we're removing a park and replacing it with a shopping district and everythin'."

"What about the homeless?" Kiryu asked, taking a bite out of the eggs he had on his plate. Majima shrugged, clearly not caring about them. "They're movin' out, gonna have to find some place else to cozy up in." Blake frowned for a moment, reminiscing her experience with the homeless people who attacked her yesterday. "Is the situation that bad over there in Kamurocho..?" 

"Oh yeah! Its freakin' terrible, but that's not my problem. Those men chose to live there, and they ain't the nicest people either. Kamurocho is full of good and bad people." Finishing his meal, Majima leaned back in his seat, sighing in satisfaction. Ghira finished his meal as well, taking a napkin to wipe his lips. "Well, I'd say its a shame to hear what's happened to those people. Kali, thank you for the breakfast, and Mr. Majima it was... _nice_ to meet you." Ghira stood up to take his leave, sighing as he exited the dining room. Sun gave out a chuckle, turning to the Mad Dog. "Seems like he doesn't like you dude." 

Kiryu knew there was no use helping it. Majima was just a vulgar, sometimes batshit insane man, but he was someone that Kiryu could trust with his life. "Majima, we're going to explore the island today near the seaport."

"Its about those captains runnin' the place, right?"

"That's right! With you on our side, this should be a piece of cake!" Sun perked up, clearly motivated to go out and start helping. In some sense, that's what Blake liked about Sun. He really was bright and cheery, which was the polar opposite of her. He could motivate people easily with just his attitude. Maybe with Majima she could find a good relationship with him. "I know we're asking a lot from you, but it'd be nice if you could-"

A groan came out of Majima, waving his hand as he looked at the two. "I already said I'd help ya yesterday. Besides, if Kiryu is helping out, it makes more sense for me to pitch in." Standing up, he'd straighten his jacket before handing Kali his plate when she stood up to collect the rest. "Thanks for the food, Ma." Kali smiled at him, finding it delightful that the Mad Dog was comfortable in her house. "Just be sure you four come back safe. Should something happen, just give us a call, okay?" Kali wanted them to be safe. Sure she barely knew Sun, Kiryu, and Majima, but if they were helping Blake with restoring peace to Menagerie, she needed to support the men as well.

Kiryu stood up and nodded with a smile. "Will do, let's go everyone." Blake picked herself up as well, holding onto her boyfriend's hand before waving goodbye to her mother. She'd follow him outside, smiling as she knew how much better everyone in town seemed. The faunus were happier, given that there were no thugs roaming around causing problems for them. Nobody was harassing or stealing their money, plus business was starting to run smoothly in the marketplace. Overall, there was just an air of peace roaming around their shoulders.

...

With the group arriving to the Seaport area of Menagerie, Majima pursed his lips in thought of the area. It smelled like fish, but not the good kind. "Man... it stinks in this area. So who are we lookin' for? Some big man in a suit or somethin'?" Blake sighed at the stench. It didn't smell good, and for once she wasn't in the mood to eat fish. "We're going to have to explore this area. We don't know who we're chasing exactl-"

"Wait, you _don't_ know who we're looking for?" Majima spoke up, throwing Blake off by surprise. She didn't expect him to suddenly sound upset at her. "W-Well unfortunately no... we tried asking the other two captains we took care of, but they wouldn't answer." She took a step closer towards Kiryu, feeling nervous of the Mad Dog. He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "...Gotcha. Well that's just a pain in the ass. Guess we're doin' this the hard way. Alright, I'll explore the east side of this port. You guys handle whichever." Like that, Majima began to walk away. Sun quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling towards him. "Hey, how about we go together? That way we can all be safe!" He had a point, something that made Blake turn to Kiryu as she squeezed his hand gently. "He's right, we should probably stick together. I... wouldn't feel comfortable knowing something happened to you." 

With a sigh, Majima waved his hand towards Sun as he began walking. "Alright, you can come with me."

"Nice! See you guys later, call us if you find anything!" Sun quickly began to run towards Majima, curious what this man could do. "So, what's your fighting style like?" That was quite the odd question, but Majima didn't mind it. "My fighting style huh? Honestly you're better seein' it than hearing it from me." He grinned, walking down the street towards what seemed like large building used to manufacture the caught fish. Majima began to open the door, noticing inside a few workers were present. "...Nothin' unusual here. Go search the second floor. I'll check the ground level." With a nod, Sun made his way up the stairs while Majima walked down the open area. He'd approach one of the faunus, noticing they were tired and upset. "Yo! I gotta ask you somethin'."

The worker turned to him, clearly not wanting to talk to them. With a sigh, Majima tapped their shoulder. "Oi! I said, I wanna ask you somethin'!"

"What..? Can't you see I'm working here?"

"Yeah I can see that, dipshit. I'm not blind. I wanna ask 'bout your boss. Where is he? I just wanna talk to him." Watching the faunus pointing to the office upstairs, Majima grew worried. "Oh shit..." Quickly he ran up the stairs, straight down to the office before kicking open the door. Inside, he noticed Sun was being held against his will by a fat faunus in a suit. At the desk was a woman in a business suit, with silver cat ears, and a cigarette in hand. Her eyes gazed at Majima, raising a brow at him. "You must be this monkey's friend. Its a shame, I don't recall having a appointment to meet you."

He groaned, not amused to see Sun was pinned against a wall. "You should probably tell your man here to let my buddy go."

"Oh? And why should I? He came in, demanding I answer his questions. That's not very business appropriate if you ask me." She stood up from her seat, only to walk by Sun and step on his head, holding her heel over him. "Now, why don't you be a good monkey and run along now, hm?"

"Ow! Tch, get the hell off me!" Sun cried out, angry that he was helpless and now being humiliated. It was a good thing he suggested the group split off into teams, because the next thing he knew the lady stepped off him when Majima approached her. "Oi, didn't anyone ever tell you to treat y'er clients with respect? And you, let him go before I hurt you." His only remaining eye stared at the fat faunus holding Sun down, watching as the man didn't bulge. After a second of waiting, Majima threw a kick at the man's face, knocking him off Sun. With a press of a button beneath her desk, the boss took the chance to run. "Guards! They're in here!" Within a few seconds, a group of men rushed in, all wearing suits and glasses. 

"Shit... looks like we couldn't avoid a fight." Sun stood up, rubbing his wrists before grabbing his staff.

Majima took out what appeared to be a long knife, a signature weapon of his. He turned to Sun, a devilish grin on his face. "You said you wanted to know my fighting style, right? Well you should probably stand back and watch, Sunny-Chan!" Majima rushed in towards the group of men, bringing his knife down to slash at their chest before kicking them away. Based off what he was seeing, Sun could tell the Mad Dog was someone who utilized their legs more than their hands. He'd watch as Majima spun with his knife around, dashing across the open office with such speed that it was hard to tell how he could perform a feat. "Holy shit... dude... you have a semblance?" He noticed a purple aura glowing around Majima, similar to Kiryu when he had a blue aura surrounding him. With a maniacal laugh, Majima began to break dance during their fight. He spun on his back, legs apart and kicking anyone who was in range. To finish off the last three men, the Mad Dog brought his knife down at one of their chest, flipping backwards to kick another man's head into the ground. Lastly he threw his knife into the air before kicking the handle, forcing the blade into the last man's shoulder.

 _"You're so pathetic."_ With a mischievous smile on his lips, Majima pulled his knife out of the last guard's shoulder. He turned to Sun, his semblance deactivating. "...there's your answer." While he pulled out his scroll to call Kiryu, Sun was standing there with a shocked look on his face. This guy, he was just _that_ badass. On the other end of the call, Kiryu heard the details about a boss running out. "Alright, a lady with silver cat ears. Got it. Stay safe you two." Hanging up, he turned to Blake with a smile. "We found our captain."

That quick? Wow, Majima really was that incredible. With a smile, Blake gave a nod as she was ready to go. She'd follow Kiryu away from the docks to the facility, only to stop when a black car drove towards them. "Kiryu!" Pushing him out of the way, Blake nearly dodged the vehicle with her semblance. She watched as it drove to the docks, just where they left. Pulling out her scroll, she'd call Sun. "Sun! That lady, she's at the docks. We'll wait for you there."

_"Alright, be careful! She likely has a bunch of bodyguards waiting with her."_

Hanging up, she turned to Kiryu before hugging him. A deep sigh of relief came out of her as she felt her chest beating. "...That... that was close..."

"Yeah, you saved me..." Even he didn't expect the driver to try and run him down. He returned the embrace Blake gave him, noticing she was shaking. "...I just want to be done with this so we can rest..." Her words, they sounded hurt. Kiryu brought his hand up to her hair, gently stroking it as he smiled. "We're almost done. Just one more person to take care of." His fingers stroked through her hair, her head snuggling up against his chest. She wanted to stay like this, in his warm embrace. With a deep breath to calm her nerves, Blake pulled away, her hands still clinging to his shirt. "Alright... I think I'm good to go." With a nod, Kiryu began to make his way to the docks with Blake in hand. She felt cold, which wasn't surprising since she nearly saw him get hit by a car.

Majima and Sun were quick to meet up with the two at the docks. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah, let's bring her down." Blake nodded, a look of anger on her face. "Woah, you okay..?" Sun pointed out, taking a step back after seeing that nasty glare from her. She crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "Am I okay? I don't know Sun, this bitch tried to run over Kiryu. Tell me if I'm okay after seeing that."

"Wait hold up." Majima stepped in, clearly bothered by the words he just heard. "Kiryu, this lady nearly tried to kill you?" With a nod of his head, Kiryu noticed the Mad Dog's fists closing tight, those leather gloves of his rubbing together. "Tsk tsk tsk... Kiryu-Chan... didn't I say _I_ was the one who'd be taking you down?" There was a look of annoyance on his face. Blake blinked in surprise, confused by what Majima just said. "W-Wait... aren't you his friend?" She stepped before her boyfriend, not wanting anyone to try and hurt him. Kiryu placed a hand onto her shoulder, smiling gently at her. "Its okay, its more like a rivalry thing going on between us." Hopefully that was the case, Blake knew she couldn't handle another person trying to kill her lover. First Adam, then the faunus, and now this lady they were after. Majima simply huffed at the two, hiding the fact he was lowkey jealous of Kiryu. Pushing aside the two, Majima began making his way to the docks. He didn't bother to wait, he was going to hurt this woman after she stepped on Sun and tried to kill Kiryu.

At the docks, cars were lined up as numerous men in suits were present. It seemed like they were all expecting for Majima's group to be there, given by how many men were present and surrounded the perimeter. With the four standing in the middle, Blake grew nervous from the amount of guards present. Before them was the captain they were looking for, sitting on top of the roof of her car in front of the group. "Seems like you all made it here without a scratch." The captain was amused by their presence, noticing each of them glaring at her.

"Turn yourself in, and we won't have to hurt you." Blake called out to her, not hesitating to whip out Gamble Shroud. With a small smirk on her lips, the captain stood up, deciding to remove her glasses to wipe the dust off the lens. "And why should I? I don't recall doing anything bad, other than forcing these men to raise the prices on the food they've caught." 

Hearing her words, Kiryu narrowed his eyes towards her. "You're one of the Three Captains controlling Menagerie, aren't you?" He watched as she tried to hold back a laugh, annoyed that this woman found the situation humorous. "So what if I am? I'm just a business woman trying to take advantage of the market here." 

"Y'know, that reminds me. Some people in the Marketplace did say that the price of the food they sell was getting too high." Sun crossed his arms, clearly not happy with how she was forcing businesses to sell their own products at higher prices. "You're basically robbing the faunus of their money!" 

A small laugh came out of her, much to everyone's discomfort. "And _so_ what if I am?! Its not my fault these faunus are so weak and helpless to do anything. No one bothered to stand up to me these past few months. Blame them, not me!" 

"Oi, bitch, What's y'er name?" Majima decided to cut in, losing his patience from hearing her lips flap. With a sigh of annoyance, the captain turned to Majima. She didn't feel happy being insulted. "Call me Sylvia. Don't ever call me that again." Her eyes were like daggers staring into Majima's remaining eye. Of course, he didn't feel bothered. Instead, he smiled. "Sylvia, huh? Must be a shame you got all these men to protect you. You might need to hire more guards once I'm done with them." 

A click of the tongue came out, deciding it was time she stopped talking to these men. "Guards, kill every last one of them. Save that pirate for me, I'd like to teach him some manner myself." Sylvia leaned back on her car, watching as her men began to close in around the group.

Majima found himself taking out his knife, grinning as he was itching for a fight like this. He snickered as four big guards approached him. Without any words, Majima dashed towards them, swinging his blade at their legs and arms. Kicks sent them flying a few feet, followed by him running up and jumping over one of the men before launching his knee into their gut. With the other two standing up ready to punch him, Majima quickly spun around one of the guards to have him receive the punch instead. Moving his foot up, Majima kicked at the guard's leg behind him, making them kick their ally in the groin. He'd finish off the last man with an elbow to the neck. "Man, you guys suck at y'er jobs!"

Blake was amazed by how quick the Mad Dog was at taking out the guards surrounding him. She noticed Sun and Kiryu were able to handle themselves well, taking on two to three guys at most. Nobody was after her, since a majority were after Majima. Changing her weapon to its gun mode, she fired at any of the guards that came close to her friends. 

Sun was quick to knock any of the guards that came close to him, using his staff as a beam to swing himself on, his legs kicking at the men attacking him. "You guys doing okay?!"

"I'm fine! Blake called out, shooting at the men before she had to duck from one of their punches. She noticed Kiryu being sent to the ground, causing her to panic a bit. As much as she wanted to help him, she had to deal with the man currently trying to swing a few punches at her. She'd change her gun back to its sword mode, blocking any of the punches that came towards her.

Despite being knocked down, Kiryu was quick to retaliate. He stood up and rushed at one of the fatter men who knocked him down. A loud yell came out of him, catching Blake's attention just in time for her to see him jump in the air before headbutting a guard out of commission. A sigh of relief came out of her, only for her to whine as a punch connected to her face. Immediately she'd attack, bringing the blunt of her shealth to the man's gut, followed by her grabbing his collar and bashing his head with her handle til he was put down.

"Ah, you guys are such assholes, ganging on me poor ol'little me." Majima teased as he hopped towards one of the goons, his legs wrapping around their arm and neck to force them to spin while carrying him. Majima manipulated their body to knock into every goon surrounding him, finishing him off by slamming their body into the ground. "Phew, thanks for the ride." Looking up, the Mad Dog took notice of his teammates keeping busy thanks to the remaining goons. He stepped towards Sylvia, bringing his knife down to stab at her. Quickly she scooted to the side, kicking him away as the knife was stuck into the roof of her car. "Tsk, you'll have to pay for the damage."

She stood up and threw a few kicks at Majima, who blocked each of them until his guard was broken. Another kick forced him onto the ground, where she walked up and stepped on his genitals. A loud whine came out the man, who winched in pain. She stared him down, grinning as she rubbed her heel as hard as she could. "You're just a dumb dog, you know that?" Kiryu turned his head to notice his friend was in trouble. Quickly he picked up the goon he was fighting by their hips, throwing them into the water before he rushed to Majima's aid. 

His steps caught her attention, forcing her to step back and spin, bringing her heel against the back of Kiryu's head to make him fall. A short laugh came out as she also stepped on his back. "You as well, you boys really should learn how to-" Shot in the arm, a cry of pain came out of her as she was forced to step off Kiryu. She looked up, noticing Blake had her gun aimed right at her. She rushed in, punching Sylvia under the chin before she launched a kick at the other's gut. It gave Majima and Kiryu the chance to stand up and catch their breaths. 

"Are you two okay?" 

"Yeah... I'm fine..."

" _Fuck no!_ She stepped on my balls man..." Majima panted, trying to regain his posture. Sun rushed in after having taken care of the last goon. He noticed Majima was slouching, offering a shoulder for him to lean on. "You're gonna be okay man, just catch your breath."

Standing up, Sylvia looked up to see Blake and Kiryu staring down at her, a gun pointed to her head. "Its over, give up Syl-" A kick was thrown towards Blake's hand, only for Kiryu to cut it short by grabbing the woman's ankle. She'd squirm, whining as she couldn't break free. "Let go of me! Let _go_ you bastard!" The Mad Dog walked up to her, gazing at his two allies before deciding to make quick work of putting her down by stomping on her face. While it did make Blake flinch from how hard he stomped, at least Majima spared the woman of killing her. 

"Alright... that's everybody. Now what? We got cops to take care of this mess or somethin'?" Majima turned to the team, deciding to sit on a barrel behind him so he could properly rest. Blake gave a nod, deciding it was time to call the police. 

Moments passed until multiple police officers arrived, handcuffing the men that were taken down along with Sylvia, the last captain to be detained. Watching as she spouted swear words and threats towards the team, Majima simply gave her the middle finger before smiling. "Well, guess that's bout it! Wasn't so hard now, was it?" He turned towards Blake and the others, all who were smiling at him. He'd blink, unsure why they continue to stare. "What? Say somethin' already!"

Only short laughs came out of the three. "I guess it was actually easy once your friend showed up, Kiryu." Blake looked up to her boyfriend, a weight coming off her shoulders now that she could finally relax.

"Yeah man! I've never seen anyone with moves like your's. You should've came days ago when we were taking care of the other two captains." 

"Heh, well I can take that as a compliment. Still, Kiryu-chan. I got something to ask you." Majima walked up to his friend, smiling as he placed his hands on his hips. Kiryu blinked, unsure what he had to ask. "What is it?" A sigh came out as the Mad Dog rubbed his stomach. "I'm getting hungry, we getting food now or what?" 

Blake cupped her chin, humming in thought. "I suppose we do owe ourselves a nice big dinner to celebrate. We can ask my dad for something." Sun placed his hands behind his head, smiling. "Actually... I know a place we can hit up! Kiryu, remember one of the shops we helped out? They offer big meals for big prices. I think we owe it to ourselves get our bellies full there."

"Oh hell yeah! C'mon, lets go there." Majima was quick to hop on board with the idea, followed by Kiryu agreeing to the idea. "Yeah, I can really use a drink after all this. Let's go to the Marketplace."

* * *

_"Cheers!"_ Sun cried out, laughing as he held up a glass filled with a sake shot inside. This was another night of celebrating a dinner after taking down a captain, except this time it felt different, it felt like victory. He clanked his glass along with everyone else's, only to swallow his portion. While Sun choked a bit on how strong and warm it was, Kiryu and Majima drank their portions like nothing. "C-Cheers!" Blake was hesitant, not really one to drink much. Slowly she poured the shot of sake down her throat, shivering from how strong it tasted. Still, the drink warmed up her chest, causing her to relax and blush a little. "W-Woah..."

A short laugh came out of Kiryu, patting the other's shoulder. "Too much for you?"

"No! No... maybe a little?" She laughed nervously before noticing their plates arriving. Majima rubbed his hands together, smiling in delight from the delicious scent coming from the roasted lobster he ordered. Sun had a few plates of pork cutlets with a side salad, while Kiryu had a few pieces of sushi and some beef to eat. Blake had fish. A _lot_ of fish. She was quick to start eating, smiling brightly like a kid who got to eat an ice cream. 

"Mm.. man, I gotta say this stuff tastes _good_ _!_ Not even we have food taste this well back in Kamurocho." Breaking a piece of his lobster, Majima began to chow down on his crab meat. "Really now? Back in Vale, we sort of had these type of meals, but something about Menagerie brings a different flavor." Sun commented as he ate his meal, moaning in satisfaction from how juicy the meat was.

While Blake was busy chewing down on her fish, Kiryu slowly reached his hand towards her plate, sort of like a tease. She noticed and pulled away for a second, only to openly offer him a piece she hadn't touched yet. In return, he lifted a piece of sushi he had. "Want some?"

"Mhm!" Nodding her head, she'd open her mouth as Kiryu fed her, the two just smiling at each other. "You two seem happy." Majima pointed out, a smile on his face. 

"Oh yeah? Well, what about you? Found a woman in your life yet?" Kiryu had to ask, wondering if he ever moved on from Makoto. With a shrug, the Mad Dog shook his head. "Nah, what kind of lady wants to date a mad man like me?" 

"I dunno dude, there's tons of faunus here who are single." 

"Hey wait, I didn't come out to hitch with no damn faunus, or any woman!" 

"Oh so you're into men?" Just as Kiryu made that comment, both he and Sun cracked out a laugh, causing Majima to become flustered at the two. "You two are assholes..." He said, starting to chuckle with the men.

Just hearing them laugh, eating here together with her, it was a warm moment Blake really wanted. She couldn't help but to reminisce the times she spent with her former teammates, wondering if they were okay or were safe, wherever they were. But now? She had these three to call her team. People she could rely on and grow close to. She wondered when she'd ever see her former friends again. 

"Hey Majima, one of Blake's friends is single. Maybe she could hook you up?" Sun commented, raising his eyebrows at Blake who blushed and hid herself behind the fish she was eating.

His eye opened up more, caught off guard by her comment. He'd watch as Kiryu nodded, wanting him to go along with the idea. "Ah... n-nah, its alright. Just eat y'er damn fish." He resumed eating his lobster. Drinking another shot of sake, Kiryu cleared his throat before deciding to wait and digest his food. "Y'know, teams at Beacon usually have their team name spelled out with the initials of every member." 

"Oh yeah! There's four of us here, what would we be?" Sun caught on, now trying to think of a name. After sometime of writing down their initials and thinking of the possible list of team names, they all agreed on a single conclusion.

"Wow... this looks like a _fucking_ trainwreck." Majima spoke up, followed by each person laughing as they decided that there was no good team name to use. Still, it didn't mean they needed one. They were here altogether, each having their back to support one another. Blake didn't see this coming when she first hopped on that boat to Menagerie. She was expecting to stay home alone, with no one by her side. Yet here she was, eating out with her friends after taking care of some big gangsters who made Menagerie terrible to live in. It was a feat she wouldn't have been able to do alone. Her eyes fell upon Kiryu who was busy talking to Majima, a smile coming to her as she decided to rest her head on his arm. It was her way of demanding some of his attention. Cheeks turned pink, her smile becoming bigger when she felt his hands scratching her head just as he had always done. She was thankful that her former team pushed her to socialize more, otherwise she wouldn't have met this man.

* * *

Back at the mansion, Ghira and Kali were surprised to hear the news.

"All three of them?! My... I'm so proud of you all!" A short laugh came out as Ghira hugged his daughter, leaving the men to well, stare. "I seriously can't thank you all enough. I mean, when I first heard of them, I wanted nobody to intervene except for my guards. I nearly lost hope until Blake arrived with you two, and well you showed up at the end." Sun gave out a short chuckle, knowing Majima didn't do much til the last minute. He watched as the Mad Dog rolled his eyes. 

Kali gave a hug to Kiryu, squeezing him tight. "I sincerely mean it when I say this, but we owe you so much. I know you didn't have to go out of your way to help the faunus, but to think you and the others pulled this off?" A sigh came out of the mother, wiping a tear away as she smiled as everyone. "Thank you, I genuinely can't thank you enough. The people can now breathe easier than before thanks to you four."

"Ah well... I didn't really do anything til the last minute." Majima shrugged, only to gulp in surprise when Kali gave him a hug regardless. Surprisingly, the Mad Dog began to hug back, knowing he made the right call by chasing down Kiryu. Despite his maniacal behavior and rude mannerisms, the Mad Dog really cared about the people, regardless if they were human or faunus.

Taking a seat on the couch, Sun sighed as he began to stretch his legs. "Well, now what do we do?" That was a good question. Blake wasn't sure what to do, but for now she stood by Kiryu's side, holding his hand. "I don't know, but I think we can relax for the rest of the night." She looked up to him, pressing her head against his arm. Finally she can take things easy and let her soul cool down after these past few days of helping people and fighting thugs. 

...

Blake found herself standing outside her father's office, leaning on the porch as she gazed at her boyfriend having a smoke. "I never knew you smoked. You know my dad wouldn't feel happy seeing that." 

A puff of air came out between his lips as he blew into the night sky. He looked towards Blake, smiling as he wiggled the cigarette to make the ashes fall onto the sand. "Maybe, but its a way for me to help calm my nerves." She raised a brow at him, curious as to how he fell into smoking. "Kiryu..." She placed a hand at his shoulder. "I... actually don't like seeing you smoke. I mean, I understand if its a way for you to calm yourself, but I'm here for you." 

He blinked before turning for a moment, realizing she was right. "...Yeah. I guess it'll be hard to break out of this habit though." He felt her hand lowering his, taking the cigarette out from his fingers. "Then let's start that today, okay?" She smiled at him, a hand running down his arm in an attempt to comfort him like when he petted her. "How did you start anyways?" 

That was a good question. "...I suppose I started since I learned it was part of the culture with being a yakuza. Lots of the higher ups smoke. The goons smoke. Plus there's the fighting, the jobs, sometimes they become too much so people like me have to dwell into drinking or smoking to cope with how brutal it is. Maybe its a good thing Kazama told me to come to Beacon..."

Hearing his words, Blake could only hug his arm as she pressed her head against him. She felt awful, knowing that he was once in a role that really wasn't fit for him. "...How did you come to Beacon? You mentioned your father had connections, right?"

He nodded, a hand caressing over the faunus'. "Yeah, he knew someone by the name of Professor Port. Said he helped rescue the man when he was under attack by a few people from his family when Port was visiting Kamurocho. He disciplined the thugs that harassed the professor and offered to guide him around town. Since then, they've become friends and spoke through the phone whenever they could."

"Wait, _the_ Professor Port? Wow... I didn't think your dad knew my teacher." Blake chuckled, amused by the mere coincidence.

Kiryu smiled for a moment, only to go back to his neutral expression. "I wonder where that professor is now." 

Blake found herself staring off in the trees before them, her hand intertwining with Kiryu's. His last words, it made her think back to all the classmates she saw back at the academy. "...I wonder too. I can't help but think where my classmates are, or if they even survived. Plus, there's my team... I wonder how they're all doing. If they're safe or alive even..." Her ears began to drop, only to perk up when Kiryu placed a hand upon her head. 

"I... never told you, but Ruby. She called me back when I was in Kamurocho." Hearing his words, Blake pulled away to look up at him. "D-Did she? What did she say..?"

Trying to remember, Kiryu noticed the worried look in her eyes. "She simply said that she and Yang miss me. Jaune and the others were with her. Weiss is in Atlas right now unfortunately. Still... it made me happy receiving that call. It was so lonely over there." A short chuckle came out as he turned to Blake. "But now I have-"

She was crying, tears dropping down her cheeks. Her shoulders closed into her body as she tried to hide her sniffles. "Blake?" Leaning in, Kiryu brought his hand to the other's shoulder, her face pressing against his chest as she began to sob. What was this all of a sudden? "Blake... what's wrong?"

"...I-I'm just... happy they're safe... but..." She choked a sob, sniffling as she clung to his shirt. "...I left them. I left them all behind and they probably hate me for it..." Her words, he understood how guilty she felt. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her close. "Blake... I'm not even sure if they hate you. For all I know, we can always call them and-"

 _"No!"_ She spoke up, sniffling as she looked up to wipe her eyes. "I... I don't even know what to say to them, let alone feel ready to do that." Leaning away, Blake gazed up her lover's face, cupping his cheek as she began caressing his skin. "...I... I really hurt you, didn't I?"

He blinked, unsure what she meant. "I... I didn't call you, text you, and you were out there back at home, fighting and losing the people you loved... I didn't bother to pick up the phone when you needed me most." She felt her eyes watering up again, her lips quivering to suppress a cry. She felt terrible, her heart began to ache with the guilt present inside her. This man was hurting and still managed to carry on despite how much life threw at him. He was strong, and she admired that, but it also reminded her how weak she was. Running away, cutting off contact, she was the complete opposite of Kiryu. "Do I... really deserve any of this..? You, my family, Sun, and Majima..? My friends are probably in danger and here I am doing nothing and having you by my side..."

"You do deserve this Blake. Not everyone can make the right choices for everyone. I'm sure you spoke to your mother about running away, right?" Seeing her nod, it spared Kiryu from having to talk about that. "You did a lot for the faunus, that alone says you were doing something. You told me you ran because you wanted to protect your team, right?"

She wanted to protect her friends, she really did, but she didn't know how else to. She was scared of Adam hurting everyone she cared about, how he hurt Kiryu and Yang, but mostly her. Just thinking about her, it made Blake sob once more as she clung to his sleeves. She pressed herself against his chest, crying as she felt nothing but guilt and fear. Adam, the White Fang, she hated all of it. She wanted someone to take them away and leave her be at peace.

Cupping her chin, Kiryu began to wipe her tears away, gently as he could. Blake continued to sniffle, looking up to him like someone who really wanted to stop hurting but didn't know how to. A warm smile was on his face, one that was comforting to look at. She knew he wasn't going to hurt her, manipulate her emotions, and hurt her loved ones. All she knew was for Kiryu was strong enough to do the things she needed. To do what Adam couldn't. 

"Tell me, what else is bothering you?" He cupped her shoulder, his touch helping to stop her body from shivering. 

"I..." Her throat bobbed as she struggled to swallow her tears. _"I'm hurt..."_

"About what?"

"...A-About Adam... he hurt me so much... I-I don't even know if I'm okay anymore..." She sniffed, wiping her eyes that leaked more. 

"Keep talking, I'm listening." 

His words, it made her speak. "He manipulated me... he became someone I couldn't trust anymore... he broke my heart, my trust... and most importantly it feels like he took something from me..." She rubbed where she had a scar on her hip, something Kiryu noticed when they kissed once but never commented on. Slowly he placed a hand over her's, looking down where their fingers intertwined before he returned to her eyes. "He also took something from me." He pointed to the scar on his right hand.

Her body began to calm down, realizing they had both been hurt by Adam. "...I-"

Placing a finger to her lips, Kiryu shushed the other, to which she obediently nodded to. "Its okay. This scar doesn't really bother me that much anyways. When we see him, you won't be facing him alone. You have me now. In fact, you have Sun and Majima. This time, you'll be ready, and you'll be stronger. Understand?" Just the things he said, it was everything she wanted to hear. Biting her bottom lip, Blake nodded her head in response, trying to calm herself down from crying. "I... I'm sorry I cry so much. I really don't mean to..." She wiped her eyes, taking a breath to calm herself down.

Kiryu smiled as he brushed his fingers against her cheek, admiring her regardless of the tears she shed. "It doesn't bother me. You can cry to me anytime you want."

"Even... even if I start to become a nuisance?"

"I doubt you'll ever become that, but sure."

Slowly, Blake leaned in on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against his. "Just... promise me you'll be by my side... I honestly haven't felt this happy in so long..." Her hands stroked his arm, recognizing his physique. There was a certain thickness to his arms that felt good to wrap her fingers around, squeezing his muscles lightly. "I... don't want to imagine a life without you, now that I think about it." His heart felt a chord being played with, hearing those words made him realize just how much he really meant towards Blake. 

"If that's the case, then I would happily stay by you." He smiled, brushing his hand across her cheek. She loved it when he did that. It made her feel warm and safe, her head leaning into his hand as she cupped his wrists. "Promise?"

"Promise." He leaned in and kissed her once more, unaware another faunus was keeping an eye on them.


	8. A Message for Adam

He stopped kissing once his eye caught the view of a shadowy figure sitting in the trees across from them. "Blake... someone's watching us."

His words caught her off guard, eyes looking through the darkness until she caught sight of the figure. Her cat-like traits helped her to see in the dark. "Who's there?!"

Immediately the figure began to make a run for it. Blake began to chase after them by hopping over the porch. "Go call Sun and Majima! I'll go after her!" 

Kiryu didn't hesitate to run inside the house, finding the two men sitting on the couch with their scrolls in their hands. "Majima, Sun. Let's go. Someone's watching us!"

Blinking from his words, Majima stood up. A click of the tongue came out as he followed Kiryu outside the door. "Man you've _gotta_ be fucking kiddin' me." He ran after Kiryu, Sun tagging along as the three men rushed into town where Blake was chasing after the stalker. 

Running underneath a pipe that was blown, Blake found herself cornering this figure at one of the rooftops. Her eyes focused on this person, realizing they wore a mask similar to Adam's. "Why were you watching me?

The faunus snarled at Blake, taking out her whip. Before she could attack, she turned to notice Kiryu, Sun, and Majima appearing from behind. She growled, deciding to try and make a run for it, only for Majima to step in before her. "Ah ah ah, you ain't leavin' this place."

He charged in to try and grab her, only to stop when her whip lashed before his feet. Blake rushed in to kick at her, knocking the scroll out of her hand and towards Kiryu's feet. He didn't hesitate to pick it up, noticing the faunus was glaring at him.

"Give that _back!"_ She cried out, swinging her whip towards Kiryu. Instead, it struck Majima who rushed in to push his friend aside, his left shoulder now stained with a open wound.

Witnessing the blood coming out of him, Kiryu stood in shock before rushing to his friend. _"Oi! Majima!"_ He cried out, checking to see if the man was responsive. He was breathing, but to see this woman take him down in just one hit made his blood boil. Before he knew it, the faunus had lowered her mask. Her face was that of a young woman, seemingly younger than Blake.

She felt her eyes opening, surprised to see a long time former friend. "Ilia... why were you watching me?"

"You shouldn't have come back, Blake... You shouldn't have." She turned to Sun, who seemed hesitant to move. Ilia threw her whip to the ground, smoke appearing as her body vanished into thin air.

"Oi! Majima! Come on! Talk to me!" Kiryu shook the Mad Dog in his arms, noticing he wasn't responding as his eyes were closed. Blake quickly took out her scroll, realizing how injured the man was. She called for a medic, her eyes widening when Kiryu began to panic for his friend. He didn't want to lose him, he already lost too many people he cared about. Losing Majima would break him. 

Blake placed a hand on her lover's shoulder, trying to comfort him as the medics began to arrive at the scene.

...

His eye began to open, a groan escaping his lips as he sat up. Majima winched in pain, realizing his jacket was off and there was a bandage over his injury. He looked around, seeing daylight shining through the windows. It was the next morning. He noticed Kiryu and Blake were sitting inside Ghira's office. "...Oi. What the hell happened?"

Kiryu looked up from his scroll, a look of relief present on his face. "Majima..! Are you feeling okay?" The man stood up carefully, seeing his friend sitting up straight. 

"Feels like someone just stabbed and shot me at the same time... but yeah. I feel a lot better." Giving out a groan of discomfort, Majima picked up a small bottle of water off the desk before him to drink. 

Blake stood up, approaching Majima with a small frown. "I... I should apologize. That faunus, she's someone I used to know back when I was in the White Fang. Now... she's back because of me." Her cat ears dropped, a hand crossing over her's. She felt guilty for dragging Majima into this, and him getting hurt. It brought back everything she was trying to move on from, but here she was back at square one.

Standing up, Majima patted the woman's shoulder. "Oi, pick y'er chin up. I ain't dead, so stop frowning." She was thrown off by how blunt he was, but oddly enough she came to understand what he meant. 

"Besides... I saw you pick up that scroll, what does it say?" Majima turned to Kiryu, sliding on his jacket. He noticed the doors sliding open, with Ghira and Kali standing there.

"Oh, perfect timing! We came in to check on you. How are you feeling, Mr. Majima?" Kali stepped in with her husband, a smile of relief on her face

"Never better, so where's the scroll?"

Entering the office, Ghira placed the scroll onto the coffee table for everyone to see. "It seems like you were correct to feel suspicious, Blake. This scroll contains the plans for the White Fang to attack Haven Academy."

Kiryu felt his eyes shoot open, another attack? "So it'll be another fall like Beacon..." 

"That's correct." Ghira frowned, turning to Majima. "I must say, those tattoos you have... er, are they for show or..?"

Majima smirked at the man, fixing his jacket into place. "Nah, just a way to show that we're yakuza. In a sense, we wear 'em with pride."

Looking through the plans, Blake frowned as she turned to Kiryu. "This is bad... Adam is going to be leading the attack. We'll have to face him if we want to stop this." 

"Stop it? But how?" As much as he knew they needed a plan, Kiryu was a little nervous about seeing that red-headed bastard again. 

Blake thought for a moment, looking up seconds later with a determined look on her face. "We'll take back the White Fang."

Everyone seemed to look at her with a look of surprise. "Take it back..? How?" Ghira asked, surprised as he wondered how they could accomplish such a feat.

"Dad, you used to be the former leader of the White Fang. I think... I think the people here deserve to know what's happening." Blake handed him the scroll, arms crossed as she was tired of these people being represented by the wrong kinds of faunus. "They need to see that the faunus out there are giving them a bad reputation and our relations with humans won't improve unless we take care of Adam and his branch."

Kali stepped closer, a worried look on her face. "Are you suggesting your father prepares a speech?" 

"Yeah, and... maybe Kiryu and I could set an example for them. To show that humans _and_ faunus can become united." Grabbing her lover's hand, Blake smiled with confidence. She was nervous, but deep down she felt like she could handle any obstacle thrown at her when Kiryu was there by her side.

"Very well... I suppose it'll take me some time to prepare something. It's been quite a while..." A short chuckle came out, one that clearly showed how nervous Ghira was. 

Kali stroked his arm, smiling as she calmed down her husband. "This might take a day or two, so you three will just have to wait. In the meantime, Blake. I suggest you get these two boys some suits to wear. We wouldn't want them to be presented poorly."

"R-Right. Kiryu, Majima. You two can find a tailor shop nearby in Menagerie. I suggest doing it right now just in case." Oddly enough, she was excited to see Kiryu in an actual suit with a tie. Who knows how handsome he'd look? 

The two men agreed, deciding to take their leave to the tailor shop as Blake began to search through a old chest, containing the first White Fang's banner.

* * *

The two days passed, with everyone anxiously waiting for the speech to begin. Word spread out to attract the faunus to the Belladonna mansion, resulting in a large crowd showing up to the speech Ghira was to deliver. The chieftain was pacing back and forth in the living room, clearly anxious of what he was about to announce. Kali and Blake hugged the man to calm him down. 

Sun patted his shoulder, giving him a thumbs up. "You got this~."

With a sigh of faith, Ghira began to make his way to the front door, where Kiryu and Majima opened up the entrance for him. Both men were wearing their tailored black suits, a white shirt and black tie for Kiryu, and a red shirt for Majima. Both sported aviator glasses to conceal their eyes just in case someone were to notice them. Standing outside, the Belladonna's stood at the podium, with Kiryu standing next to Majima at one end, and Blake next to Sun at the other. Already a few faunus were confused as to why humans were present, something that bothered both men. News reporters were present, broadcasting live on the situation. 

_"Former White Fang leader..."_

_"Two humans seem to be present for this important speech..."_

"...Psst, Sun. Is this speech really that damn important..?" Majima whispered towards the faunus, only to receive a nod. A soft groan came out as he gazed around the crowd. Even he was starting to feel the jitters.

Just as the mic tuned in, the echo caught everyone's attention. Ghira raised a hand to catch their eyes.

_"Thank you all for assembling here. Today I wanted to address the rumors that have been circulating around our island. I believe it is important for the people of this territory to understand the truth."_

Just as Ghira continued on with his speech, Kiryu felt his body shivering when the chieftain brought up the Fall of Beacon. Memories began to flash, remembering the fires and the cries he heard around campus. He remembered Amon, and Adam staring him down when he was hurt. His hands moved behind his back to hold themselves tight. 

_"...While the main aggressor is unknown, we do have official confirmation that Adam Taurus, the leader of a powerful splinter group working inside the White Fang, was partially responsible for these attacks."_

His brows furrowed in anger, remembering how Adam stabbed his right hand and left him with that wound. Majima took notice of Kiryu's expression, keeping a mental note to calm the man down should he become emotionally unstable.

_"Recently a spy sent from their splinter group has set their eyes on this very home. My own daughter Blake and her friends did their very best to apprehend this very individual. While they very unsuccessful after being physically assaulted and seriously injured, they were successful in obtaining the assailant's scroll."_

Majima felt his brows furrowing as well, he was going to make that bitch pay for striking him down. Both men were angry, something Blake caught sight of. She felt worried for both Kiryu and Majima, but knew she couldn't do anything to calm them down.

_"With this scroll, we were able to ascertain that Adam Taurus has plans to overthrow the current leader of the White Fang, Sienna Khan, and take over the reigns himself."_

The crowds were growing scared, surprised even by the news they heard. Audible sounds of people responding negatively made Blake shiver in anxiety. Were they going to take this well?

Ghira continued to speak about Adam's plan to invade Haven Academy two months from now, something that worried Blake. How would she stop Adam? For now, she had to put those thoughts on hold as her father spoke about his past relations with the White Fang. How he stepped down when the faunus wanted _faster_ results.

_"I think its time that the faunus show the world that we are equals. Time that we SNUFF out this splinter group! And restore the White Fang to what it once was!"_

Just as everyone applauded, Ghira knew what he was going to say would deter everyone. _"I think you now know what we have to do next! We all must go to Haven and protect it at ALL costs!"_

Of course, the applause died down, and everyone seemed scared. Nervous, emotions of anxiety or worry was placed on each guest's face. Blake gave out a sigh of disappointment, only to look up when her father invited her on stage to speak her story. 

Slowly she stepped up to the podium, looking up to her father. Just as he smiled to encouraged her, a cry from the audience caught everyone's attention.

 _"TRAITORS!"_ A white cloak was removed from her body, standing up straight with her mask covering her eyes. Ilia glared at the stage, and Kiryu knew to react fast. He turned just as Majima took a step, seeing his teeth from that nasty growl he was showing. He caught the Mad Dog's hand, telling him now wasn't the time. 

Sun glared as well, taking a step forward as Kali grew worried. Blake simply glared at the faunus, waiting to see what she had to say.

"Cowards... after everything the humans have done to us, everything they put us through, you're asking us to _help them?!"_

This was bad. This was really bad. Ilia was deterring the rest of the faunus from siding with the Belladonna's and their mission to protect Haven.

"Where was the help we needed when dust companies treated us like slaves?! Where was the help when faunus were hunted just for being who they are!? Where was my help when my parents were killed in a dust mine? _Where?!"_

Kiryu felt his lips open for a moment out of shock. Everything she was saying, it justified her anger. In some sense, it made him feel guilty, like _he_ was responsible for the horrible acts of discrimination that happened towards the faunus. He looked down, fists clenching tight.

Ghira knew he had to respond. "Young lady, progress takes patience and cooperation-"

"The Belladonna's are the worst kind of faunus! They want us to work to with the same people who are trying to hold us down! Worst of all, they brought humans into our territory!" 

Kiryu's heart stopped for a moment, watching as Ilia stared at him with anger and hatred through his glasses. His throat bobbed for a moment, recognizing all the eyes gazing towards him. It was felt like he was caught red-handed, as if he just committed treason.

"If you truly want to support your people, now is the time to support Adam-" Ilia stopped as she watched Kiryu taking a step off the podium. Blake gasped as she tried to approach him, only to see Majima raising a hand towards her, telling her not to intervene.

The atmosphere felt intense for him, seeing all the eyes and cameras facing him. The pressure of it all, it choked his neck. What he was doing, Kiryu knew it was walking on death's door. He was about to paint a red target on himself with what he was about to say. 

"...And how exactly is that going to help the faunus? Murder, slavery, discrimination? You're asking for the people here to replace humans at the top of the hierarchy, not for equality. As far as I can tell, I didn't see Adam helping anyone here in Menagerie. Those Three captains? The very people who were forcing everyone to cough up their money to satisfy their greed? Who do you think took care of them? Certainly not the man you keep telling everyone to support. He hasn't done anything other than do what's in his best interest, not your's. Not our's." Removing his glasses, Kiryu stared down angrily towards Ilia, slowly taking steps towards her. 

The faunus took a step back, growing angry as Kiryu spoke to her with facts about the issues that plagued Menagerie. "Who do you think you are to be speaking to me like that?! You're just a human, like the rest of them-"

"No, he isn't!" Blake spoke to the microphone, no longer wanting to stand aside and watch Kiryu fight this battle alone. "He has done so much for the faunus. Much more than Adam has for us here. He defended them at Beacon, he's saved those in danger back where he's from, and he went out of his way to come all the way out here to help the faunus! Those Three Captains who were controlling Menagerie wouldn't have been apprehended if this man wasn't here to help us."

Majima began to smile, only to stop when he realized Sun was hidden in the crowd, sneaking behind towards Ilia.

"He might be a human, but he's done so much more for Menagerie than a faunus like Adam has! Adam only wants what's best for himself, not what's best for everyone!" Blake stepped away from the microphone, deciding to walk down towards the crowd where Kiryu stood. She took ahold of his hand, squeezing it tight as she knew what she was doing was considered blasphemous. 

Ilia's mouth began to open, realizing what Blake was telling to everyone.

"...This man here? I love him. He might be a human, but he's done so much for me, so much for the people in need of help. He and I can show the world that humans _and_ faunus can unite together. So tell me, how exactly has Adam helped the people he so rightfully proclaims to be fighting for, other than murdering those who don't agree with him?" Her eyes stared down towards the chameleon, hearing the mixed reactions everyone had to the news.

Kiryu took another step towards Ilia, realizing Sun was behind her. "Adam tried to kill me, for absolutely no reason other than bloodlust at Beacon. He sent an assassin to kill me, just to hurt Blake out of spite. He wants to hurt people, just to fulfill that stupid fantasy of his. So, the next time you see him, tell him I'll gladly return the favor." Holding up his right hand, Kiryu exposed the scar Adam had given when he stabbed him.

"Gotcha!" From behind, Sun jumped out from the crowd to grab Ilia, only to miss when he realized she used her whip to escape. Guards immediately began to chase after her just before reporters and journalists began to approach the couple.

"Excuse me, sir! I'd like to ask you a few questions!"

"Have you really been helping the faunus? Who were the Three Captains you took down?"

"How long have you been with the chieftain's daughter?"

"The Fall of Beacon, when did Adam attack you?"

Multiple voices attacked at him, cameras flashing as they began to blind him. It was a sudden change of the moment, one that put him on the spotlight unprepared. Kiryu shielded his eyes with his arms before Blake tugged at him. 

"Thank you, thank you for the questions. For now, he would like to have his space. Thank you!" Blake began to drag him back inside the house, with Majima helping to move Kiryu inside. The Mad Dog shook his head, whispering towards his friend's ear. "...You done and put a bounty on y'er head, Kiryu-Chan."

* * *

Leaning back against the railing in the back of the mansion, Majima blew a puff of smoke our his lips, staring up at the wooden planks that covered the roof underneath. His face turned to Kiryu, who was visibly anxious after what he had just done. He was blowing a cigarette as well, his hand shaking visibly.

"Majima." The former yakuza spoke up after a few minutes of silence. 

"Yeah?"

"Do you think what I did unnecessary?" Kiryu continued to look forward, his elbows resting against the porch. The Mad Dog simply shrugged, unsure how to respond. "I dunno, what do you think? All I can say is that whatever the fuck you did... it had to take big balls to say that in front of everyone, especially in a place not meant for us."

He was right. This territory, it wasn't meant for him or any human after what they've put the faunus through. Still, he went out of his way to make a change. "Maybe you're right, but what I believe I did, I gave him a message."

Majima raised an eyebrow at him, holding his cigarette in between his fingers. Kiryu sighed, knowing what he did was something he couldn't back out of. "It was towards Adam."

"...The fuck do you mean? You're... not gonna fight him, are you?" There was a look of shock on the Mad Dog's face. "Kiryu, I know you're strong and all, but you ain't exactly got a weapon on you. From what my boys told me, Adam's got a nice katana that can cut off that hand of your's."

A heavy sigh came out of Kiryu, realizing what his bane was. This entire time he's fought with his fists, to punch through problems for a perfect solution. Not time this though, he knew he couldn't punch Adam even when his life depended on it. 

Blake stepped in from behind, placing her hand at her lover's shoulder. "He's not wrong. I haven't seen you use a weapon at all, and Adam... he can easily cut you down if you don't have anything to defend yourself with. Fists aren't enough anymore."

She took notice of his cigarette, sighing in disappointment. She wasn't going to say anything, since he realized how anxious Kiryu was when his hand was still shaking. There wasn't a need to make him feel bad about it. Gently, she took his cigarette and tossed it into the sand. "Kiryu, I'm here for you. I know there must be a lot going through your mind, so how about we go back to my room? You can tell me everything there, I'm your's, and I want to help you however I can." Blake grew a warm smile, only to see his face turning away with a frown present.

He wasn't in the mood to go back inside. He wanted the fresh air, to be out here where he could breathe without constraints. Without her family watching him inside the house. "I'd rather not..."

Blake shook her head, deciding to pull him back inside. "I know you're tired of a lot of things. Come, let's go back to my room, and I won't take no for an answer." She had a firm grip on his hand and arm, serious about having him finding other ways to cope besides smoking. 

Kiryu sighed, deciding to follow without fighting back. "Alright, I'll go with you." 

"Good." Blake smiled as she walked inside her room with him, closing the door to give the two their privacy. 

The Mad Dog began to wonder to himself. Kiryu was asking to fight Adam, but the man never did use a weapon. There had to be someone here who could sell or make those fancy gun and sword hybrid weapons the hunters used. Something fast and efficient for Kiryu to fight with while holding his ground. He turned towards Ghira's office, realizing he might have a chance at helping his best friend. 

A few knocks to the chieftain's door, Majima invited himself in. He saw how Ghira was resting his head in his hands while sitting behind that desk of his. "Yo."

Looking up, the chieftain had a surprised look to his face. "Oh! Mr. Majima, I didn't realize you were there. Please, have a seat." Ghira stood up, walking over to one of the couches reserved for guests and family. "So, how are you feeling after that speech?"

Taking his seat, Majima stared at Ghira with an unamused look on his face. "Honestly, not as surprising as I expected."

A sigh escaped Ghira, realizing his guest likely knew of the outcome. "I appreciate the honesty. I wasn't surprised either when everyone seemed to become quiet after that announcement. Besides, how is Kiryu doing? He seemed shaky, uneven actually." 

A small grin came to the Mad Dog's lips, hands rubbing the armrests of his seat. "He's scared, that's the best way to put it. Man really painted himself a target for that Adam fella." 

"I suppose so... to walk up and announce all of that towards the assailant, in front of more than a hundred faunus, it takes great courage to do something that remarkable." Ghira leaned back in his seat. "...To think Adam attacked him, and sent an assassin towards him even after Beacon, I never knew what he had gone through." 

"Oh man... you haven't got the slightest clue what Kiryu has been through." A short chuckle came out, smiling towards the chieftain.

"Really? I... suppose its not your place to share, but if you don't mind telling me, I'd like to know more about him, about... that tattoo you both share. Kali mentioned he had one as well."

He didn't know? Well he was in for a surprise. "Kiryu and I, we were part of an organized crime syndicate in Tokyo. That nasty stuff where cuttin' off your pinky and all? Its true. Anyways, something happened to us back a few months ago. Somethin' that involved finding the owner of a lost property our clan was busy tryin' to buy. Kiryu got framed for murder, and to save his face he got expelled. Man didn't expect the entire clan to go after his head." 

Ghira listened in shock, gulping from the news. "Dear gods, the entire clan?"

"Yep, was the toughest shit he dealt with til he told me someone bought his life."

"I see... what about you? Were you involved with this incident?" Ghira asked, curious since Majima had an eyepatch.

He was, and it hurt him like hell. "Yeah... I was told to take a hit on some innocent woman. Couldn't bring myself to do it. Next thing I know, I got the clan chasin' after me too when I tried protectin' her."

As he listened, Ghira began to frown. To think these two men had undergone so much hell, and were here at this very moment. "And I suppose this incident took something from you?"

Majima blinked for a moment, only to wave his hand once he knew what he meant. "Oh no, my eye? Lost it prior before shit hit the fan. You don't want to know about that."

"Right." Ghira cleared his throat. "And the tattoos, what are they for?"

Cupping his chin, Majima began to think of a proper description. "Best way I can put it is that its our pride. Yakuza members get different designs. I know Kiryu has a dragon, which means something about his personality."

"And your's, its uh... beautiful in a unique way." Ghira chuckled slightly, hoping he didn't offend his guest. "I suppose it is odd to hear people from a mafia helping the faunus."

"Ex-yakuza. We ain't in the clan anymore." Somehow, that piece of news gave Ghira some relief. He wasn't exactly fond of thugs and gangs, but after seeing these two helping his people, he grew to have respect for the two men.

Seeing Ghira sitting up in his seat, Majima noticed a smile on the man's face. "Still, regardless of your past, I'm very proud to see you two men coming all the way out here to help. You didn't have an obligation to do so, yet you came anyhow. If there is anything I can do to repay you, please let me know." 

"Anything, huh?" Majima cupped his chin, grinning with a thought in his head. "Say, you know someone that makes those fancy type of weapons Blake has?"


	9. Roarless Dragon

Following behind the Mad Dog, Kiryu had his hands tucked into his pocket as he followed behind. Majima had woken him up rather early to go to the suburbs. "Majima, tell me where we're going? Its too early in the morning for this..." A yawn came out as he covered his mouth, rubbing his eye to keep himself from falling asleep.

"I already told 'ya! Its a surprise." Majima had a small grin to his lips as the two walked into the suburbs where all the houses were. Following the address he was given, the Mad Dog stopped before what seemed to be a dojo. Kiryu raised a brow, turning to the man. "...A dojo? Is it necessary to be here this early?" 

Majima ignored the question, giving a few knocks to the front door. Immediately the door was pulled to the side, the owner standing there seemingly old and intense. His eyes squinted tightly at the two men, only to grow a smile once he recognized them. "Ho ho, seems like my young pupils have returned to me."

His voice, that face, you had to be kidding. "Master Komaki..? I didn't know you worked here." Kiryu was surprised to see his former master here of all places. Immediately he gave a bow, along with Majima. "Its a pleasure to be here, old man. You got what I need for my friend here?" 

"Heh, a master never fails to have what is needed on time. Come in, you two." Komaki stepped to the allowing the two men to enter his dojo before closing the door behind him. "Young Kiryu, it seems you've been holding your own quite well these past few days."

A smile came to the former yakuza, nodding in response. "That's right. I've been dealing with thugs and the Three Captains that reigned over Menagerie."

"Ah, but now you have another challenge that awaits you. Adam Taurus, correct?" 

He blinked for a moment, realizing what he said was probably known throughout the island since it was broadcasted live. "Y-Yeah. He attacked me back at Beacon, so I need to find a way to hold my ground against him."

A short laugh came out of the old man, gesturing the two to sit down as he grabbed a rather large box that was sitting against the wall. "To call him out like that in front of a crowd, no ordinary human would challenge their enemy in such a manner. Its ridiculous, but brave at the same time." Komaki brought the box towards the two, planting it on the table. "Now open it."

Hearing his words, Kiryu turned to Majima then back at the box. He slowly gazed over it, noticing the gold ribbon tied around this rectangular object. Whatever it was, it was long. Komaki grabbed another box of a similar shape, bringing it towards Majima. "For you."

Both men opened the boxes they received, pulling out two new weapons that Komaki had forged for them. Kiryu gazed over his new katana, stored in a white sheath that held a trigger at the handle. His face was in awe, feeling the weight of this weapon. It was heavy, but beautiful. "...Master, you made this for me?" Kiryu looked up, feeling grateful yet undeserving.

"Mhm, its your's. Majima here requested I forge the both of you new weapons for the coming challenges that await you. Bet you didn't know I forged weapons in my spare time, did you?"

"Well you are an old dude who's got nothin' better to do." Majima laughed as he checked out his new bat. It was just the same as his regular slugger, except a button at the handle could detach it to pull out a hidden knife.

Komaki gestured the two men to stand up. "Gawk at your weapons later, now is the time to test these new tools of your's. You will spend the next two months learning how to hone it, master it, and make it a part of your soul. Understood?" 

Both men stood up, bowing in response. Komaki grinned, ordering the men to follow him outside. There was a big yard with a lot of space for training. Dummies were stacked on poles, as well as targets for ranged attacks. 

Kiryu held his new blade, unsheathing it completely to notice the katana itself had a a silver coloring to it. There was a dragon design attached to the blade close to the hilt. "There's a trigger. What does it do?"

"That, my young pupil, will allow you to shoot your blade at an extreme speed towards your target. At the bottom of the handle, the shape will stun your opponent, rather than having you forced to go and retrieve it. Also, your sword will now bounce back to you, sparing you of having to retrieve it. Test it out at one of the dummies." Komaki pointed to one of them.

Holding the blade towards the dummy, Kiryu pulled the trigger. He felt the knockback pushing him back a little, the force of the fire sent his blade flying towards the dummy's gut. Just the sound he heard when it was hit, Kiryu grasped an idea of how strong the attack was. He caught the handle of his blade as it bounced back to him.

"Heh, works like a charm. I tuned the gears inside to fire your blade with as much force as possible. You might have to get used to it, but I can always tone it down if you're weak." Komaki grinned, watching as Kiryu tucked his sword in. 

He did feel a bit odd about the weapon. "Why a katana? I could have used a tonfa, or a bat like Majima." 

"That's because I've seen how you use swords, Kiryu-Chan. You got some potential using a big blade like that." The Mad Dog tested out his weapon, noticing the top shooting off his knife, just with not as much force as Kiryu's.

"If I'm being honest, I did it with the intent to be better than Adam's blade. I've forged the weapon myself. The one you're holding, Young Kiryu, is a improved version of Adam's weapon."

Kiryu frowned for a moment. "Wait, you just copied his? That doesn't really make it seem special, doesn't it?"

"Nonsense!" Komaki waved his hand. "Every sword is special in its own way. Its up to the wielder to discover its meaning. Now, I want you two to continue testing out your weapons until you're both comfortable to fight confidently."

* * *

Blake took a heavy breath as she stood at the stairs to her house. She held her scroll in her arm, turning to see Sun was behind her. "Okay, you ready?"

"Pfft, I've fought monsters. How bad could it be to get signatures?" Sun grinned, only to sigh as he scratched his head. "So, Kiryu and Majima aren't joining us today?"

Blake frowned at the realization. "No, Majima told me yesterday he'd be taking Kiryu for some training, and likely won't be helping us with this." Still, she knew why he was doing it. She looked up to Sun, smiling at him. "Its going to be okay. They're doing what they have to do, and so must we."

"Yeah... yeah you're right. Let's get those signatures then!"

...

The next five hours were humiliating. Everytime she approached a crowd, or a individual, Blake was shot down when she invited the faunus to join them. She stood before a crowd at the marketplace, gulping when eyes stared at her. She had to swallow her anxiety, knowing she was going to be rejected yet again.

"Please! The faunus need you. Haven needs you to stop the attack from the White Fang!" She announced to everyone, only to watch them shake their heads and disperse from the area. A tired sigh escaped her body, deciding it was time for a break. Walking over to a small juice stand, Blake ordered herself a mango smoothie. Just as she was waiting, she felt a poke behind her shoulder, causing her to turn to see Sun standing there. 

"Yo."

"Hey."

Both of them were tired. Just that exchange alone told them everything they needed to hear. Sun ordered his drink and made his way to a table Blake was sitting at. She rested her chin on the palm of her hand, gazing at the sea faunus swimming in the ocean.

"I don't get it man, why don't they want to help? Especially after everything we've done for them!" Sun whined as he took a sip of his drink, relaxing from the taste of his banana smoothie.

Blake gave out a sigh, looking at her palm when she realized why nobody was joining. "Its because they're tired and want to be left alone. We're asking too much from them to go and risk their lives for a school that doesn't involve them."

"Yeah, that's a good point I suppose... so, uh... did you and Adam work together before or..?" Sun grew curious, only to regret it when Blake agreed in a disappointed tone. "Sorry! I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Shaking her head, Blake looked up to her friend. "Its fine. Have you ever seen someone and thought they were the personification of a word?"

That was an odd question, one that Sun knew to shake his head to. 

"Well, when I saw Ruby, she was the embodiment of purity. After some time, Weiss was defiance, and Yang was... strength." Blake smiled, thinking of the positives her teammates.

With a grin, Sun brought his drink to his lips using his tail. "What about me?"

A short giggle came out of her. "That's still undecided, but I'm leaning towards earnest. But with Adam... at first I thought he was justice, then it turned into passion... but I was wrong. He was spite."

Hearing how she described him for wanting to hurt the world for taking what he felt belonged to him, Sun began to frown. "Damn... sounds like he had it rough."

A sigh escaped her lips, realizing everyone had it bad. "We all do, some just choose to make it harder for us." As she took another sip, Blake looked up to see Sun smiling at him. "Well? Aren't you forgetting about Kiryu and Majima? What do they represent?"

She had to think for a moment, but smiled when two words came to mind. "I don't know much about Majima, but I think he's protective. I could change that later. As for Kiryu, he's..." She felt her heart flutter for a moment. "I.... I want to say warmth. Just the way he speaks, his aura, it all feels warm and comforting. He's helped us to become happy. Do you agree?"

Sun had to think for a moment, eventually nodding his head. "I mean yeah, it makes perfect sense! His punches become warm after he activates his semblance!" Both of them laughed at the idea. 

"Yeah, it's... been a while since I've felt this warm in my chest. With running from the White Fang to leaving Beacon, its been hard. Yet he came, it makes me wonder if I can do the same for others." Blake swirled the drink in her cup, hoping one day she can approach her friends and give them the warmth she felt with Kiryu.

* * *

With their training finished for the day, both men decided to head to one of the bath houses together to wash themselves up before returning to the mansion. It was evening, and the island felt quiet. As the two approached the doors, Kiryu knocked before he noticed Kali opening it. "Oh! You two are back pretty late." 

"Yeah well, we got a lot of trainin' to do." Majima spoke up, walking in with his new bat at his shoulders. Kiryu stepped in with his weapon at his hips. He noticed Kali gazing at their weapons, seeming surprised that they both now had walked into her home with dangerous equipment. "You boys better hide those things. I don't want you scaring the rest of us in this house." 

Blake was eating dinner, one of her ears twitching as she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She stood up, still chewing her meal as she noticed Kiryu and Majima walking in. She blushed out of embarrassment, swallowing before she laughed a bit. "H-Hey! I haven't seen you two all day." Blake was happy to see them safe and sound, her hands cupping one of Kiryu's.

"Today was pretty long... Majima and I have been training with a old master of our's." Kiryu smiled as he gave a kiss onto the faunus' cheek. Seeing everyone already eating dinner, it was a nice presentation to return home to. 

"Mm... you should probably put your weapon in my room. Mom will fix you up a plate." Blake watched as her partner listened, making his way quickly to take off his sword before joining everyone at the dinner table. There was talk about how Ghira had met Kiryu's old master, Komaki, when the old man was traveling through Remnant. Ghira recalled the tale how Komaki stopped a group of hunters from sabotaging a delivering Ghira and his team were making before they were ambushed.

"I gotta say, that man knew how to punch! Plus, he tagged along with us to make sure no humans could ambush us and take our supplies."

To hear how they met, it was crazy how he never knew Komaki had met the former White Fang leader. 

Once dinner was over, Kiryu stood up along with Blake to go back to her room. The faunus didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around his body, giving him a gentle squeeze. "You know I missed you a lot, didn't I?" Blake looked up to him, smiling as she had a faint blush on her cheeks.

A smile came out as he began to pet her head, causing the faunus to purr in enjoyment. She brushed her head against his hand, smiling in delight. "So, what kind of weapon did this 'Komaki' make for you? Blake asked as she pulled herself away to get a good look at him.

"Its uh... a katana." Kiryu picked up the handle of his blade, showing it to Blake. She caught the features of its trigger and handle. It all looked so familiar, but she didn't want to question it. "Mind showing me how you use it?" She felt curious as to how Kiryu was trained to use it. He gave a nod, grabbing ahold of Blake's hand. "Sure, let's go in the backyard."

The two made their way to the back, where an open space gave Kiryu the room he needed to use his weapon freely. With Blake taking a seat by one of the benches, she watched as Kiryu unsheathed his katana. The silver coloring, that dragon tattoo, it was a perfect custom weapon meant just for him. 

Taking a few swings with his blade as Komaki taught him, Kiryu was able to swing easier now compared to when he first started. "Its kind of a heavy weapon honestly." 

"Is it really? I think you're strong enough to handle it." She teased him, knowing with the muscles hiding under those clothes he could swing anything with ease. Seeing him swing a few more times, Blake began to grow bored of watching nothing exciting come out of his training. "Is there... a cool move you could do? Or did he not teach you yet?"

Kiryu thought to himself, sheathing his blade. He tried to recall a move his master taught him. "Here's one." He smiled at Blake before looking ahead of his. Pulling the trigger, Kiryu pulled out his blade simultaneously, making him draw out his sword faster than someone could blink.

The rush of the air, the pressure that came out, the noise that came with the swing. Blake's eyes flashed as she began seeing Adam back when she was at Beacon. Her breathing picked up, her body becoming scared to move. She watched as her eyes deceived her, a vision playing as Adam slowly approached her. "A-Adam... no..."

Kiryu panted for a moment, smiling as he turned back to Blake. She was beginning to hyperventilate, watching as her body hugged herself like a scared child. "Blake?"

She couldn't stop shaking, reminiscing the moment she saw Adam bring out his blade, slicing Yang's arm off. All that blood, a dismembered limb flying into the air, and the thud that followed after it landed. It made her want to throw up. "No... no no no no..." Her voice began to crack, hands hugging her head to protect herself from this vision.

"Blake. Blake!" Kiryu called out to her, dropping his weapon as he rushed up to the suddenly scared faunus. He carefully cupped her forearms, caressing her to try and soothe her anxiety. "Blake, talk to me. What happened?" All he could hear was her mutters, too scared to speak up.

"...Don't hurt me... please Adam... Don't hurt me..."

He frowned, realizing what was happening. Carefully he brought her chin up, having her gaze at him instead. "Blake, it's me. Kiryu. Adam isn't here." He tried to comfort her, seeing how she was shaking badly. Her palms felt cold, and her eyes only showed what appeared to be a deep fear of Adam. "Breathe with me, take deep breaths." He began breathing deeply, watching as Blake tried to mimic him. "There we go. Keep doing it."

After a few more breaths, Blake began to come back to reality. Her body still shook, but not as badly as before. "...K-Kiryu... I-I... I don't think you should do that move anymore..."

He blinked, unsure why the faunus was traumatized by it. "Can you tell me why?"

" _Just. Don't. Okay?"_ She raised her voice, shaking horribly as she squeezed his hand tight as she could. Kiryu swallowed a nervous gulp, nodding to her question. "R-Right..." He took a seat beside her, his arm wrapping around her before bringing her in close. Blake rested her head against his shoulder, trying to calm herself. 

"That move... tell Komaki to teach you another... please, I can't bear to see that move ever again..." Blake muttered as she closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down. "At the night Beacon fell, just after you passed out. Adam... he... he stabbed me, and shortly after he-" She choked back a shaky breath, taking the moment to breathe. "He did that exact same move when he cut off Yang's arm." 

His body froze, unsure what to say. He couldn't come up with anything to say, except for an apology. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to bring up bad mem-"

Blake shook her head, clinging to Kiryu's body. "No, no you're fine... you didn't know. Just, stay like this please."

After a few minutes of staying still, Kiryu slowly began to stand up. On cue, Blake did the same, her hands holding onto Kiryu's arm. She walked with him to grab his weapon, frowning that she didn't recover well from that night. "Let's call it a night."

He looked down to her, wondering why she wanted to sleep in earlier than usual. "Sure, but are you okay? I can always grab you something to-"

She nodded, giving his arm a squeeze. "Yeah, I just need your warmth right now."


	10. Inner Demons

The fire of a bullet, the loud crash of an explosion, seeing Yumi's corpse on his hands.

_"Yumi! Yumi Don't go! Please!" He cried out to his former lover, watching as she bled on in his hands._

_The cries and noise of chaos surrounding him, all sounding to distorted and uncomfortable to listen to. He looked up to find himself back in Beacon._

_Everything was on fire, the buildings damaged and the sky black as a raven. Kiryu felt helpless, his body growing weak and tired as he looked up to see Adam standing before him._

_That smirk of his, it was enough to tell him there'd be no mercy. He watched as that red-crimson blade of Adam's stabbed right at him._

His body shot up, gasping for air as he felt cold and shaky. That was the fifth time he's had this nightmare, starting a few months ago after the Ten Billion Lien case. Hands rose up to rub his face, a weight holding his left arm down that made him struggle to bring it up. Kiryu turned to see Blake was still asleep, her hand cupped around him as she usually had done every night.

With a deep breath, he climbed off the bed and made his way to the restroom. Turning on the bright white light that blinded him for a moment, Kiryu turned on the sink to cup his hands full of water. He began to rinse his face, removing the oil and dirt he felt. Adam, he was one of many things that scarred Kiryu. He looked down at his hand, taking the time to thoroughly see the texture his scar appeared after his recovery. It still felt like it was yesterday his hand was cut through with that red blade of the faunus. The pain, how sharp and cold it felt. At times like these, Kiryu had to hold his hand to stop it from shaking. Normally that scar didn't bother him, but nights like these where he heard their voices, his mind filled with memories of the past. It reminded him how weak he was.

Swallowing down his anxiety, he gazed up at the mirror. There he was, standing in someone else's restroom in a land far from his home. It made him lightheaded just thinking about how far he's come. Its been months since everything bad had happened to him. His mind began to race at a million miles, thoughts jumping from one to another. The Empty Lot, Beacon, and the Ten Billion Yen case. What hurt most was how he lost so many people he once had,

Closing his eyes to take a deep breath, Kiryu felt his body freeze for a moment.

_I didn't want to lose to you!_

He quickly turned towards the door, seeing nobody in the empty hallway. A shuddering breath came out from his lips, his mind trying to push away the thought of his former sworn brother. 

_Kiryu..._

Her voice, he didn't want to hear it, Not Yumi, not now. His hands reached up to cover his ears, hearing the voices of those he had lost. 

_Kiryu. I was the one who killed your parents._

He dropped to his knees, whimpering as he began to sob. He couldn't handle that big reveal Kazama had told him once he passed. It was a stab to the heart, everytime that memory was brought up. 

"Kiryu?"

That voice was different, enough to make the man look up and turn to see who it was. Kali was standing there, her face seemingly concerned for the man crying in the restroom.

...

He watched as a cup of tea was placed before him, followed by Kali taking a seat next to the man. "Is everything alright?" Kali asked, her hands cupped around her mug. 

No, he wasn't alright. He was far from it. For once, he was ashamed of having let someone know of his trauma. Without a word, Kiryu shook his head. His head was pounding a little. "Do you have any ibuprofen?"

"Yes, of course. Just wait right here." Standing up, Kali made her way to the kitchen, returning with two pills for him. Kiryu took them and swallowed with the tea Kali served him. The warmth of the beverage was enough to calm him down for him. 

Kali stared over him for a while, watching as Kiryu didn't seem to make eye contact with her once. "Kiryu, you can tell me what's bothering you." She placed a hand over his, clearly in a motherly manner. It was something that seemed foreign to the man, who grew up without one.

His eyes gazed over the table, trying to figure out where to begin. "I... I had another nightmare. That's all."

"Another, huh?" Kali's ears perked up a little, noticing how he grew cold and shaky. "Do you... feel comfortable sharing what it was?" 

With a audible swallow, Kiryu began to squeeze the woman's hand, not too tight of course. "I uh... I lost my family a few months ago. Back in Tokyo." Gods, it was terrible for her to hear that. "I... I had no idea..." Her mouth was agape slightly, unsure how to respond to the news. "Do you have anyone left to talk to? Aunts or uncles?" 

"No." He shook his head, knowing full well he was just an orphan. "I grew up in an orphanage, so I don't have any blood-related family I know of." He gazed down towards his tea, deciding another drink would suffice.

As he began to down the entire drink, Kali took the honor of refilling his cup, followed by Kiryu mumbling a 'thanks'. "Dear boy... to think you came and helped us, all while carrying that weight on your shoulders." A sigh escaped her lips, wondering how he hid it so well.

"I just don't like to talk about it. Only Majima and Blake know, but no one else." He didn't like opening up towards just anyone. He had to trust them, to be convinced they were someone who wouldn't betray him.

As he took another sip of his tea, Kiryu noticed Kali frowning as she drank her own cup. "You know... as a mother, its my duty to make sure Blake is doing well, both physically and emotionally. I haven't seen her this happy in years before you arrived."

"Before I arrived..?"

"Yes..." Kali felt her fingers wrapping around her mug, the warmth of it comforting her. "Before you came, Blake was dating Adam. Every few nights, she'd come home with bruises or cuts, her eyes seemed dead. It was horrible. I tried to convince her to break up with Adam but all she could say was it was her fault for making mistakes. That she deserved what Adam did to her." With a sigh, Kali stared at the tea before her.

To think Blake had been this abused by Adam, he genuinely had no words for. "I... I'm sorry to hear that." It was different hearing it from Kali, the details she put in. They didn't hide the pain she felt.

"Ever since she ran from the White Fang, her father and I continued to worry for her, up until she came home with you. At first, I was thrown off by how you made her stay home for her sake, then when she started joining you, she began to smile more." For a moment, Kali sat there smiling, as if she was proud of Blake. "I didn't know what to think of you at first, especially since you were human, I'll admit."

"Its fine, I'm sure you were just scared for your daughter." Kiryu spoke up, knowing full well Kali was looking out for her daughter.

The woman took another sip of her tea, nodding in response. "And yet, you are too. You're looking out for so many people just by helping them. Even us, when you declared that you'd be fighting Adam." Kali gave out a sigh, turning to look Kiryu with a look of gratitude on her face. "I believe its my duty to look out for you too." Placing a hand to her chest, Kali smiled at the man. "I can never thank you enough for what you did for us. I want you to know that Ghira and I do consider you family as well." 

Just hearing that, Kiryu felt his eyes watering up. Those words, they strummed a chord in his chest that broke down the wall blocking his emotions, a smile appearing over his lips. Kali leaned in to hug him, smiling in return as Kiryu returned the gesture. She carefully stroked his hair, soothing down his nerves as he refined in her embrace. The warmth of a mother hugging him, it was something he never had. It took away the nightmares that plagued him. Months of mental torment began to fade away from Kali's touch. He might've lost a family, but he found another.

* * *

"On your feet!" Komaki spoke to Kiryu after knocking him down onto his feet. The man stood up, panting as he felt his head sweating. "Once more, my young pupil." Komaki took his stance with the wooden katana he held, gesturing for Kiryu to do the same. 

Blake watched from a bench, sitting next to Majima. The two spectated Kiryu's improved swordsmanship with his new weapon. Watching how he unsheathed his blade and struck at Komaki, who was quick to dodge every swing, it was both exciting yet anxiety-inducing for the faunus.

"Heh, Kiryu's been getting better since day one." Majima had a cigarette in hand, blowing a puff of air as he watched. Blake's ear perked up to the sound of his voice, turning to him. "I guess so... to be honest, I had a panic attack when he first showed me his skills. It was too similar to Adam's."

Turning towards her, the Mad Dog shrugged in response. "Yeah well... Master Komaki says its because that weapon is a modified version of Adam's. Plus, Kiryu has to be fast, don't he?"

"Not just fast." Blake sat up, her hands resting on her lap. "He needs to be faster, otherwise Adam will beat him."

For a moment, Majima turned to face Blake. "You keep mentionin' Adam like you know everythin' about him. Did you have history with this man?" His question, Blake was hesitant to answer, but she nodded instead. Another blow of his cigarette, Majima gazed up at the skies above them. It was blue and peaceful, a few white clouds present. "Then tell me everythin'. I wanna know who this man is."

For a moment, Blake was thrown off by how he wanted to know more about her ex. "I... its a lot to be honest."

"That's fine. I can lend a ear."

Surprisingly, that made her smile. She was glad that Majima wanted to listen. "Adam and I, we used to be partners back then. We raided and worked together in the White Fang. I've seen how he fights, and its scary to think of going up against him." She sighed, rubbing circles on her palm. "He's faster than someone blinking. His semblance, it lets him absorbs damage to his sword before sending it back towards his opponent. That's what worries me most."

His semblance, it sounded like a cheap way to win. "So... y'er sayin' Kiryu needs to be fast enough to land damage towards the man?"

"Yeah, otherwise Adam will just block his attacks and hurt Kiryu in the process."

Faster, huh? Majima grinned as he stood up. He took another breathe of his cigarette before putting it out and tossing it to a nearby trash can. Walking up calmly towards the two fighting, Majima waved at his friend. "Yo! Kiryu-Chan."

Both men stopped their training, with Kiryu panting from the numerous swings he lashed out at Komaki. "What... What is it, Majima?"

"Y'er gettin' better at this fighting, but I'm noticing something missin' from you. You got the moves down, but you ain't fast enough. Adam's gonna kill you if you don't pick up y'er speed." As he pointed out the flaw Kiryu has, Komaki gave a nod towards Majima. "He's right. You haven't landed a single swing at me, Young Kiryu. If you wish to get better, you need to pick up your speed."

"And that's where I come in!" Majima grinned, stepping before Kiryu as he took out his bat. Pressing the button, the top of his weapon came out to expose the knife hidden underneath. "From now on, you and I are fighting, Kiryu-Chan!"

"Fighting? Really?"

"Yeah! Got a problem with it?" The Mad Dog grinned, ready to rush in and attack. Kiryu grinned as he readied his blade. He watched as Majima rushed in and tried to stab his knife at the other's abdomen. Kiryu was quick to block the attack by his sword unsheathed partially. 

Both men fought vigorously, a sight Blake didn't expect to see. She observed, leaning in from her seat at how fast they were moving. Every swipe from Majima was either dodged or blocked by Kiryu's sword. It was a situation that forced the man to act faster, otherwise Majima would stab his knife into his arms.

He wasn't kidding about needing to be fast. Kiryu felt his arm being cut when he failed to dodge an attack. It was expected, these two didn't hold back when they fought. Someone was going to get hurt, that's just how it always been. In a way, Kiryu was grateful for Majima's persistence in fighting him. 

The two exchanged blows, their weapons clashing at each other's swords. "Come on, Kiryu-Chan! Are you even trying?" 

With a push of his sword, Kiryu didn't hesitate to punch Majima in the chest before his sword shot out of its sheath, knocking the man back a few feet. It was a painful hit, but it only aroused Majima's excitement. He began to laugh, his body glowing in a purple aura similar to Kiryu's when he activated his semblance. On cue, Kiryu activated his semblance, the ground shaking when a blue wind rushed around him. 

The fight only grew more chaotic as Majima dashed around the battlefield like a mad man. His dashing caused the ground to shake a bit from how fast he was moving, in a way it shocked Blake. He was just as fast as Adam.

With the Mad Dog moving place to place quickly, Kiryu was left standing still, unsure where Majima would strike from. On cue, he turned his body to kick at the Mad Dog just in time, a reflex that had to read the situation before it happened. Blake found herself cheering, clapping from the successful strike. If he was already learning to act on instinct this fast, then maybe. Maybe, Kiryu had a solid chance of taking down Adam.

...

Panting heavily after their fight, Majima was seen with a few bruises, along with Kiryu. Both men were exhausted, laying on the ground with their weapons sitting besides them. Blake took the chance to walk up towards Kiryu, crouching to get a closer look at him. "You tired?" She giggled, handing the man a water bottle she had on her. With a nod, Kiryu sat up to drink the bottle. He was drained, but seeing Blake smiling at him? It gave him the boost of energy he needed to stand up. 

"You've been training a month now... don't you think you deserve some rest?" She placed a hand upon his chest, both happy yet worried. She didn't want him overdoing this to the point he broke his body.

A sigh escaped him, acknowledging her words. "I suppose so... maybe we can call it a day early and rest up for tonight." Hearing his words, it made Blake smile. She gently grasped his hand before turning towards Majima and their master. "I'm going to take Kiryu home early, you two can continue having fun."

"Hmph. very well, on your feet Mad Dog." 

"Yeah yeah...." Even Majima knew he had some flaws to be worked on.

* * *

Blake found herself waiting in her bedroom for Kiryu to finish his shower. She was thinking of how they could spend their evening together. Maybe they could go out and eat, or spend the day cuddling in bed. The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became. How would they spend their day together? She did go on a date with him before, right?

Reality slowly crept up on her, her cheeks turning pink as she covered her face into her palms. They never had gone on a date before. No wonder this was hard to think about...

The door to her room opened, and Blake looked up to see Kiryu standing there in his red shirt and silver slacks. It still amazed her how he was quick to shower and get dressed afterwards. She bit her bottom lip, wondering how he'd look undressed completely.

Setting his towel on a hanger, Kiryu took a seat beside the other. "So, what did you want us to do today?"

Crap, she hadn't even thought about that yet. "O-Oh, um..." She looked down, her ears folding when she sighed in disappointment. "I-I don't know." Part of her wish she knew, the other secretly hoped Kiryu could take the initiative. 

That other half would be fortunate. Kiryu smiled as he stood, holding his hand to the other. "C'mon, let's go grab some food." Just food? Something casual like that? Blake was surprised but seemed appealed to the idea. This wasn't a fairytale where her white knight would bring her to some place prosperous. That was only likely in Atlas. They were here, stuck on a small island with faunus. Still, she was stuck here with him, someone Blake was in love with, and she couldn't have it any other way. "Sure, I could use a bite." She stood up, taking his hand as she walked out the door with him.

The couple found themselves at a small barbeque restaurant down the main street. It wasn't packed, but there were plenty of people. Blake's hearing began to ring, clearly uncomfortable by the many noises she heard. She looked up to her boyfriend, curious as he was reading the menu. "What will you be having?"

He thought for a moment, deciding to lower the menu before handing it to Blake. "Hm, probably just pork cutlet and a side salad." Blake nodded, deciding to agree on the same idea. A waiter approached the two, smiling as he held a notepad and pen.

"Greetings! How may I help you two this evening?"

"Hi, uh, we'd like pork cutlet and two glasses of water, please." Blake was the first to speak up, something she didn't intend to do. It just happened naturally. She looked towards her partner, a look of curiousity that said _'was this what you wanted'?_

A smile was on his face, bringing Blake's anxiety down. She watched as the waiter took their orders and left to retrieve their drinks. "S-Sorry about that... I-I didn't mean to order for us like that." 

A brow was raised, his head tilting to the side slightly. "Why would you be sorry for something that trivial?"

He had a point. Kiryu wasn't Adam. He wouldn't get mad at the mistakes she's done. "...I-It's just something Adam didn't like." Blake's throat bobbed up and down, remembering how often Adam would hit her for the mistakes she made. Whether it was speaking up when she wasn't suppose to, or not taking his side for things even when they were his fault. She gave out a breath, shuddering as she felt his presence still lingering around her.

_You're not good enough for him._

Her eyes shot open, only to see Kiryu waving at her. "Hey, I said that's fine. Its good enough for me." Kiryu smiled, wondering what was going on with her. 

...

The two had their dinner together. For a first date, it wasn't bad as she expected. They had their moments of talking, and bits of silence in between. It was a good amount, no one was talking too much to the point it felt exhausting, and it wasn't quiet to where it felt awkward.

Blake was holding onto Kiryu's arm, clinging to him a little too tight. That voice she heard back in the restaurant, it took her off guard completely. It was obvious to tell something was going on with the poor kitty. 

"Blake, you alright?" Kiryu stopped to turn to the other, his eyes scanning her face for any signs that she wasn't. Blake had a small frown, unsure how to tell him what she was feeling. "Blake..." He spoke up once again, this time in a concerned manner that wanted her to speak up. 

"I... I guess not? I-I don't know..." She wasn't sure how to explain it. Adam still held a strong presence over her, even in his absence."I'm just unsure of it myself... that's all."

He wouldn't push into it any further, deciding to continue walking around Menagerie until it was getting late. The couple made their way back to the mansion, announcing their presence once they were inside. "Mom! Dad! We're back!" Blake looked around, noticing nobody but her mother was sitting on the living room couch.

"Oh good to see you two are back. So, how was your date?" Kali had a smirk to her lips, something that made Blake fluster in embarrassment. "I-It went well! Right?" She turned to Kiryu, who agreed fortunately. "Really now? Hm, well okay then." Deep down, Kali knew there was something bothering her daughter. That stutter in her voice, the look of surprise when Blake saw her. She wanted to step in and help, she knew this was Kiryu's time to help Blake through her issues.

The two entered Blake's bedroom, with Blake letting go of his hand. She gave out a unusual breath as she sat on her bed, arms folded. Kiryu took notice as he closed the door behind him, taking a seat next to the other. "Is it about Adam?"

She turned towards him, a sad look on her face before her head began to nod. Without waiting, Kiryu brought her in for a hug, resting her head against his shoulders. His hand crept up to scratch her head, a familiar gesture Blake took comfort in. She took a breath in and out, moving her head closer under his chin. "I... I still can't shake him from my mind."

That wasn't a surprise after what Kali had shared with him about Blake's past. How she used to be hurt and bruised. Those thoughts made him gently caress the woman's back in an attempt to soothe her nerves. "Keep talking, I'm here."

She loved that about him, he was willing to listen without her needing to ask. She needed that, for someone to _listen_ and not make her choices. "I know I told you about Adam and what he did to me, but I never exactly went into detail about our relationship, have I?" She looked up to him, wondering if he was willing to listen to another story of her's. 

Seeing him shake his head, Blake took a breath as she began to draw circles on his chest. "He used to hit me a lot... little mistakes I did, speaking out of line, or even not siding with him when he was in the wrong. I was so blind, I still hear his voice in my head sometimes. I still turn around, wondering if he's behind me ready to strike. It's... It's hard to move on, you know?" 

Kiryu understood what she meant perfectly. This morning's nightmare was the perfect example. "Yeah, I still hear my sworn brother's voice, and those that I've lost. It can be hard to move on sometimes..."

Her hand cupped his cheek, a smile coming to her lips. "Yeah, but we're here, and that's all that matters." She reached up to kiss him, his hands reached to hold her gently so he wouldn't hurt her. 

Just kisses alone, it took away the ghosts that haunted them. What mattered was they had each other.


	11. Persistent Warrior

Things just had to get worst. Kiryu gazed at the message on his scroll, a shiver of anxiety running through his veins. 

**[??? 10:29am]** _Hello, Kiryu Kazuma. You know who this is. It's time we've met again. This time I've brought my apprentices to truly test your skill. Once you've defeated them, I'll be waiting._

There was a image with three locations, each hiding one of those apprentices. A frown came to his face, realizing that he'd have to cancel today's plans with Blake. 

"Kiryu, c'mon. Your breakfast is going to get cold if you stand there staring at your scroll." Blake brushed her hand at her lover's arm, smiling as she walked past him to the dining room. He couldn't smile at how innocent and sweet she was being. Not when he was just given a life-threatening message from a long-time rival.

Breakfast felt like a chore to get finished. His belly ached with butterflies, knowing he was the only person at the dinner table to know about today's danger.

Ghira cleared his throat after swallowing, smiling at his daughter. "So, Blake. What plans do you four have for today?"

"Oh, well I'm just going to spend the day with Kiryu and the others. Walk around, see if we can get more people to sign up. We've got a few, but its not enough." She tried to smile at the news she delivered, but couldn't hold a full smile up completely. She knew they were running out of time.

"We've got like, what? 32 people signed up?" Sun chipped in, finishing his meal rather fast.

Majima gave out a groan, clearly not happy with the numbers. "32... we need 150. We ain't even halfway there yet! How much time we got left before the attack?"

"About two weeks." Blake felt her ears drop, knowing at this pace, they were going to be overwhelmed. She looked up to Kiryu, recognizing that he was staring off into space. Oddly enough, it made her smile at how cute he looked just staring off like that, wondering what little world he was in right now.

With everyone finishing their meal, Kiryu took a shaky breath as he stood up along with the others. Everyone said their thanks as usual and began to head out to the living room to discuss their plans for the day, a routine that happened everyday.

While listening, Kiryu felt his eyes staring at the message he received, pondering on where the locations could be.

"So, Kiryu. Where're you two headin'?"

Why was he sending out his students?

"Yo dude, you listening?"

Why separately instead of all at once? 

"Hey, Kiryu?" A tug of his arm from Blake, and Kiryu flinched as he looked up towards the faunus. There she was, with that worried smile of her's. He couldn't take comfort in it, not when he knew her life was at stake. "Is everything okay? You're being unusually quiet." She gave out a small chuckle, wondering why the man didn't respond to her.

His eyes looked to the side, deciding now was the time to drop the news. He handed her the scroll, his message open on display. Sun and Majima gazed from behind Blake's shoulders, all reading the message together. Their reactions were mixed, so to say.

"Hey uh... is this dude really asking you to throw hands or something? Seems kind of sketchy to me." Sun scratched his head, having no clue who this man was.

Blake was worried, unsure who this man could be, but deep down she had an idea. One she wished she was wrong about. 

"...You've _gotta_ be fuckin' joking me..." Majima's sound of disappointment was enough to fill the room with anxiety. "Woah, wait how bad is this?" Sun turned to everyone, feeling left in the dark.

"...Its him, isn't it?" Blake walked up to her partner, gently pressing her head against him.

With a breath, Kiryu had to answer. "Yeah..." She felt her body shiver with fear. The same fear she felt with Adam, but to a different degree. Blake squeezed Kiryu in her arms, her body not wanting to let him go. This man, she hated him for hurting Kiryu. A deep fear that ran through her saying that he was going to take him away from her. 

Sun was clueless on what was going on. He didn't enjoy being left in the dark like this. "Guys, seriously. You're freaking me out here. _Who_ are we dealing with?" He turned to Majima, who was helpful enough to answer. 

"Amon. Jo Amon. He's a tough son of a bitch that will chase you down to the ends of the planet, just to kill you." Leaning against the wall, Majima crossed his arms as he gazed over the two lovers hugging each other. He felt bad, knowing Blake was probably scared of losing her partner.

She looked up to him, a look in her eyes that pleaded for his attention. "Kiryu... take me with you, please." Of all the things...

"N-No. I can't" Kiryu had to shake his head. There was absolutely no way he was putting her in danger like that. "I'm not risking your life like-"

"Kiryu _please!"_ She grabbed his shirt and tugged him in closer. Her hands were shaking, her breathing now uneven as she felt scared for him. "I... I saw him fight you at Beacon, and he's here now. He's not alone. Please, at least let me help you."

"Blake, I said no." His hands grabbed her's, gently pulling the faunus off of his shirt. To feel him pushing her away like this, she wasn't sure how to react, but it hurt her inside. "W-Why not..? What if they hurt you? What if I'm not there to help you?" 

A shake of the head, Kiryu frowned as he knew she wasn't going to let this go so easily. "Blake... he's after me. There's no way I'm putting you at risk."

"So what am I supposed to do?! Just sit back and wait for you? What if I never hear back from you? What am I suppose to do when someone comes at our door, telling me that you're _dead?!"_ Blake's eyes narrowed down at him. She was angry for the right reasons. She didn't want her partner taking on those dangerous assassins by himself, not while she was told to stay put and wait. "I'm _not_ letting you go alone, Kiryu. I don't care if you-"

Grabbing her by the shoulder, Kiryu brought her in close. This wasn't the same as when they kissed. He was genuinely starting to get fed up with her. "I told you, no. This is my fight, and mine alone." That look of anger, the way he was grabbing her shoulder tight, it was the same situation she had with Adam when he lost his patience with her. "K-Kiryu... I know you're scared... but please, don't lash out your anger at me..."

She wanted him to come out of this differently, not the same path Adam took when his anger led to him hurting her. With grabs came shoves, and shoves came punches. Blake was internally begging for Kiryu not to do any of that. 

He could see her shaking, cowering helplessly in his grip. It took him a moment to realize what he was doing, forcing him to back away before taking a breather. 

Blake was hurt, but not as much as she expected. She was thankful he didn't slap or push her, that would've broken her into a million pieces.

Kiryu could only look down, glaring at his hand that grabbed Blake. Was this the start of who he was going to become? Was he any different than Adam? Training with that mimic sword of his, giving Blake an anxiety attack, and now grabbing her to make her shut up. All these things taunted him, as if they were mocking Kiryu for not being any different.

"I-I'm sorry..." All three turned to face the man looking down at himself, his fists shaking with the fear in his veins. Amon, Adam. He wanted them gone. 

Walking up to him, Blake carefully grabbed his hand, rubbing it in a manner her mother did when Ghira was upset or moody. "Hey... its going to be okay. I'm here to protect you." Blake wanted him to understand this, she needed him to. "Your battles are mine too, and whatever Amon throws at us, We'll get through it together." She smiled at him, leaning in to plant a kiss at his cheek.

He was grateful for this moment. For the things Kali had shared with him, and the past Blake told him about her. He managed to avoid treading down the wrong path. 

"Alright... we'll go together. We'll fight Amon, and we'll come back here in one piece." Kiryu held firmly onto Blake's hand, knowing full well he wasn't doing this alone anymore. He had someone to stick by his side. 

The faunus turned to Majima and Sun, smiling as she knew they were going to be disappointed with her next few words. "You guys can handle the sign ups."

"Agh man, seriously? At least let me fight with you two!"

"Oi! What the hell? I got to train with Komaki still!"

She smirked at the two men. "Then maybe you two can switch places. Ready to go?" She turned to Kiryu, who agreed to leave. Blake began to walk out of the house with her lover in hand. For once, she'd be fighting against the Amon Clan. Deep down, she was scared, but tuned her thoughts into thinking of Kiryu. He was going to be by her side, and he was going to be fighting the same enemy with her. 

* * *

Each apprentice was both daunting, considering each assassin was given a contract to take a hit on Kiryu. Surprisingly, each battle was easier than she thought it would be. Despite their rules of having men only fighting against the same sex, Blake didn't bother to follow it. She knew she had to fight the very people who were after her partner, and she was willing to ignore rules if it meant protecting the ones she cared about.

One of them, Kazuya Amon, was easy enough for her to beat. A man wielding two axes gave her the chance to use her semblance to distract him long enough for Kiryu to land hits from behind. In a way, Blake saw these fights as a learning experience of how she was compatible with Kiryu's form of combat. She took on the supporting role of distracting and swooping in to help, while Kiryu was the main offender. With Jiro Amon, Blake took on the role of keeping his eyes off Kiryu while he fired a machine gun at her. It gave Kiryu the opening he needed to attack, and she made sure to swoop in and throw the assassin off his aim in case he tried to fire at her partner. The last apprentice, Sango Amon, was clearly trouble for the former yakuza as he continued shooting rockets towards Kiryu. Blake spent most of the fight kicking at him, evading his blasts with her semblance before she could finish him. By the end of these fights, Blake was braver than she was than in the morning. She had confidence in herself now that she took on three Amon apprentices with Kiryu, and won.

"Well, that's all three of them now. That wasn't so bad now, was it?" She smirked towards her lover, hands on her hips as she approached the exhausted man.

He took a breather, hands on his knees now that he could stop and rest for a moment. "...With you around? No. Not really."

"Then maybe its a good idea you listened to me." She winked at him, only to hear his scroll ringing. Kiryu picked up the call seeing that it was Majima. 

_"Kiryu! You there?"_

"Yeah, its me. What's wrong?"

_"Its Master Komaki, that damn Amon guy kicked his ass and took some of his important scrolls. You better catch him quick. He's by the docks!"_

His eyes shot open, shocked to hear the news. "A-Alright... Blake and I will be there. Make sure he's safe!" Hanging up the scroll, Kiryu turned towards the faunus. "We need to head to the docks, Amon is waiting for us."

An audible swallow was heard from her, knowing this was their true test. "Right, let's go." She ran with him towards the dock, wondering why this man needed to hurt Kiryu's master and steal something from him.

...

Rushing into the docks, Blake felt her heart skip a beat when her eyes gazed upon the figure standing there. Jo Amon stood with his arms folded, those glasses hiding his eyes like the rest of his apprentices. In a way, it made them look like they were anything but human.

His head turned to focus on Kiryu, a smirk coming to the assassin's lips. "Seems as if you took care of my men, Dragon of Dojima." 

Her ears flipped up in response, curious after that nickname she heard. "Dragon..? What does he mean by that?" 

Air came out of his nose as Kiryu knew he was going to have to explain that. "Its just something the clan likes to call me after what happened in Kamurocho. Consider it a nickname that holds strength and honor."

"Oh... o-okay." She couldn't help but to smile at the fact her lover was called such a thing. Blake stood next to Kiryu, deciding to keep watch and let the men speak.

"You should be proud you're still breathing at this point. That initial test sent you was no simple task, yet you managed to bring a friend with you. A familiar one, I should say." 

Blake scowled at the man, her eyes narrowing at him. "Yeah, I remember you. You're the same man who tried to kill Kiryu at Beacon, didn't you?"

A smile came to his face, glad that she remembered. "Of course, though you should be grateful your friend here push you out of the way before I could finish you off. That was disappointing, unfortunately."

"You're out of your mind, Amon! You tried to murder a civilian who had no business in our fight. Worst of all, you took a job from Adam after what he did to the academy."

"And how is that suppose to make me feel guilty? Those students died because they were weak. They deserved to die."

Hearing those words coming out of that man's mouth, Blake couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Deserved to die..? Are you fucking kidding me?!" She was furious, to think he could casually accept the death toll and pretend it was survival of the fittest.

Amon sighed with his brows furrowing. "The Fall of Beacon was truly a disaster, but it only proved to show how weak the student body was in protecting their school. Were they truly strong enough, the academy would have never fallen."

"...You're insane, Amon. Nobody asked for the White Fang to attack. Nobody asked for this to happen!"

"Not only that, but we never asked for someone to hack into our school and launch a Grimm invasion!"

Both of them were starting to see how soulless this man truly was. "Amon. Let me ask you, why did you agree to take a hit on me by Adam? Why him? Why me?" Kiryu needed to know. He first met this man's father back before he arrived at Beacon, yet he didn't understand the connection between the Amon Clan and Adam.

At first, there was silence. Then, there was a small chuckle. "I suppose you ought to know, Kiryu. My sole purpose for existing... is to take you down. I saw how easily Adam overpowered you, and I've since agreed to the man to help him with taking you out. "

"You _agreed_ to help him?! Adam's a murderer! He wouldn't hesitate to kill you after!" Blake felt upset, wondering why men like him agreed to cooperate with her former partner. Why was everyone helping him? Why was he so contagious?

"it wouldn't matter if he killed me after. Like I said, my sole purpose for living is to take down Kiryu. After that, I'm free to kill you and the rest of your family, as he said." Amon grinned with confidence, knowing he would enjoy choking the life out of the faunus. "I've been training since our last match, Kiryu. I've even taken the liberty of stealing Komaki's book, holding his ultimate technique."

"...And why would you do that? That man did nothing to you." With a glare, Kiryu felt his fist tightening in anger.

"Much has happened since Kamurocho. I've studied ancient martial arts from a bandit leader in Anima, I've swam laps in the frozen waters of Atlas. Tempered my mind and soul in the heat of Vacuo, and now... I have Komaki's ultimate technique in this very book."

It was already known what was about to happen, seeing how Amon pulled out a special blade with a mystical power surrounding it. The blade itself was red and had a strange aura floating around it. "Kiryu, if you really want this book back, you'll have to fight for it."

They had no choice, they were going to have to fight Amon. For Kiryu, this wasn't anything new to him as he stood there with fists confidently raised. Blake was trying not to shake with the anxiety she felt. "You're going to pay, Amon. Not only for hurting Kiryu, and going after him, but for the words you've said about Beacon."

Blake rushed in, swinging her blade at the assassin, clashing it against Amon's blade, the Sakura Fubuki. As he clashed swords, Amon was left open to receive a few hits from Kiryu. His punches were heavy as usual, but clearly felt stronger than the last time they fought. With himself fighting at uneven odds, Amon pulled out a second blade to swing at Blake and Kiryu. 

The faunus guarded herself, while Kiryu was unsuccessful in defending himself from the few cuts he received. "You're weak, Dragon of Dojima. As for you, I'll be sending you to hell with the rest of those students." 

Her eyes shot open, her body freezing from what she just heard. "...w-what?"

Amon quickly brought his sword down at Blake, who used her semblance to evade the attack. She felt her heart racing, remembering the night Beacon fell. Her chest was beating strong and fast, her hand gripped the handle of her sword tighter. 

Kiryu was busy attacking the man, who now had a mystical shield placed around him to lessen the damage as part of his semblance. "Tch, it seems you've gotten stronger too." He unsheathed his blade, deciding to swing it before it clashed against Amon's.

"Heh, I've told you. I trained for this very moment." Before he could push Kiryu away, Amon felt his rear being attacked by Blake. "You're going to pay, Amon! Those students didn't ask to _die!"_

She was angry, upset, but overall frustrated, Why did he have to come and hurt Kiryu when Beacon was under attack? Why did he have to meet with Adam and chase down her lover? And worst of all, why did he believe those innocent victims _had_ to die? 

Her swings became harder and faster, wanting to break that stupid shield of his. Amon kicked the man away before turning to thrust his sword towards Blake, only to watch as her semblance left a clone behind. "Grr... this is getting annoying." He turned just in time to see Kiryu's fist connecting with his face. 

"This is going to be for stopping me back at Beacon." Kiryu punched the ground, his semblance activated. With a few punches came a strong kick, the force increased to send Amon flying. Blake rushed in, kicking and swinging her blade towards Amon as she teleported around him to strike at every angle. "And this is for the students who suffered!" She kicked his face in, forcing him to stumble back towards Kiryu. The dragon grabbed him by the back of his belt and collar, bringing him over the shoulder to bash him into ground. 

Desperate to win, Amon picked himself back up as he glared towards the two. "...h-heh, it seems you two aren't the same as you were back in Beacon." Standing up, the assassin took the chance to breathe before his body was enveloped in a similar red glow to Kiryu's semblance. He charged in, swinging his blade both in circles and directly towards whoever he aimed at. Blake found herself evading at first, but cried out in pain as she was struck by that spin attack of his. Kiryu was unable to dodge a direct hit, knocking him to the ground with Amon slicing his swords together. "You both might have gotten stronger, but that doesn't mean you can defeat me. Once I'm done with you, Kiryu... I'll choke the life out of your kitty here." He readied his blades, watching as the two stood back up on their feet around him.

"Its no longer about just him, Amon. Its about us and putting an end to this sick obsession of your's." Blake wiped the blood from her lips, deciding to remove the sheath from her blade. She was going to stop this man from hurting the most important person in her life.

Kiryu looked at her, smiling as he gave a nod of appreciation. Turning back to Amon, his smile shifted to a glare. "You can come after me as many times as you'd like, Amon, but just know I'm no longer the only enemy you'd have to fight, and we'll always stop you." 

Clenching his teeth, the assassin began to charge at the two. _"Kiryu!!"_

Simultaneously, Blake and Kiryu charged towards him, both deciding to end things here, right now.

Sliding under his swing, Kiryu stood up behind Amon as Blake kicked him around. A slap to the face spun Amon back towards Blake who roundhouse kicked him, followed by a rapid swing of punches connecting with the man's face. Blood spat out with every punch, staining the floorboards of the dock with every punch Kiryu decked him with. Standing there, dazed and hurt, Amon was left vunerable for the couple to finish him off. Each threw their legs towards his head. A loud cry of defeat escaped the man as Blake's and Kiryu's foot struck against his head, finally putting him down.

Watching him drop to his knees, Blake rushed over by Kiryu's side before turning towards Amon. He was panting, a clear look of disappointment on his face. 

"...d-dammit... even after my studies... I'm not strong enough to best you... this regret runs deep... I'll have to go back to Raven now..." Amon slowly stood up, deciding to back away from the couple and head towards someplace where he can rest.

He was gone for now, but that didn't mean he was gone forever. Kiryu took a deep breath, turning towards Blake. She began to wipe his eyes, smiling with a worried look. "You're crying..."

Was he? He didn't even notice. He reached up to touch his eyelids, feeling tears slowly prickling out. "A-Ah... I guess you're right." For some reason, emotions began to build up, forcing his lips to quiver. Blake noticed how he was starting to lose himself. She couldn't help it either, tears began to build up in her eyes before her hands pulled him into her shoulder.

With her hug came a breath of relief. He was finally released from his chains of guilt attached to him ever since Beacon fell. His hands grabbed onto the faunus' sleeves, clinging onto her in a firm manner. 

"Hey... its okay. Its going to be okay now, you're safe..." Her hands stroked his hair as he tried to calm himself down, taking slow breaths to calm down his shaking. It didn't stop the tears that came out and stained her jacket. He couldn't help but to look up at Blake, a smile shown on that tear-stained face of his. "I wanted to protect you, all this time..."

A short laugh came out as she rubbed his sleeves. "Yeah, you did, but so did I."

"I... I was scared of him hurting you, ever since Beacon, and Kamurocho..."

Blake couldn't help herself but to cup his cheeks. Her thumbs rubbing against his skin to comfort him. "You really were scared, ever since this morning, but you don't have to be. We fought against his team, and Amon himself. Now look at us, crying like a bunch of babies after we won." 

Both of them began to laugh gently at the realization, only to gaze in silence as Blake wiped his tears away with her thumb "I want you to know that you mean so much to me, so if anyone ever tries to hurt you, I'll be there to kick their ass, okay? We're a team. You and me."

Hearing those words from her, Kiryu gave a nod as he took those words to heart. Despite how much he wanted to protect her and fight alone, he knew what she said meant they were two halves of a whole that needed each other. "Yeah, you and me. Together." 

Leaning in, Blake pulled him down to kiss him, smiling as she pulled away to grab the book Amon left on the floor. "Well... I guess we better return this to Komaki. I'm sure he'll be proud of you, my Dragon of Dojima." She teased him with wink, earning a flustered look from his cheek.

"E-Erm... right. Right... Let's get going." He had to admit, the nickname sounded nice for once.

* * *

"So... how'd it go?" Majima stood there in the living room with Sun, both men smiling as Kiryu had returned safe and sound with Blake this late into the day. It was already evening, which had the entire household worried until now.

A smile was present on Kiryu, bigger than Majima normally seen. "It was... great. No, it was what Blake and I needed." 

"Needed? What do you mean? Like did something important happen?" Sun questioned the comment, clearly clueless as he earned a smack from the back of his head. "Ow! Hey I'm just asking!"

"Well ask somethin' smarter next time! Its pretty obvious you shouldn't ask something that personal." Majima cleared his throat before plopping down next to the man. "So, tell us what happened, Kiryu-Chan!" 

Sun scoffed at the man, only to smile in amusement. 

Kali began to enter the living room where all three men were present. She began to lay down their cups of tea to each of them before taking her seat. "So, I heard you and Blake did something miraculously big today."

"Yeah, we took care of someone that was bothering us for a long time, well.. me mostly." Rubbing the back of his neck, Kiryu still couldn't believe how refreshing it was to have settled his case with Amon.

Taking a sip of her tea, Kali could only smile towards the man. "I could tell. Blake was happy like she was a kid again. Where is she anyways?" 

"I dunno, she said she was going to her dad's office to talk to him or somethin'." Majima shrugged at the question. He only caught a glance of the woman hugging Kiryu before walking away.

"Hm, well she's probably sharing the news with him. Maybe you can go and fetch her, Kiryu? Her tea will get cold." Hearing her request, Kiryu couldn't deny Kali. He groaned for a moment as he stood, still sore from the battles earlier today. 

Walking down the hall to the back of the mansion, Blake was standing there reading something in her hands before he tucked it into her coat. A small whiff of air escaped his mouth in amusement, loud enough to catch her attention. 

"Whatcha reading there? Your tea is ready."

Blake frowned for a moment, only to smile at him. "Alright, but after I have to stop somewhere."


	12. Turning Point

There she was, walking down the empty streets this late at night. Where was Blake going? 

That was a question Kiryu, Majima, and Sun all asked themselves as they followed the cat's trail. Because of her sensitive hearing, they all had to follow from quite a distance. Watching her walk down the lonely road as they all hid behind a corner would make any stranger give the group a weird look.

"...Any idea where she's going?" Sun was at the bottom of the three, practically laying on his chest as he watched Blake walking.

Shaking his head, Kiryu grew suspicious. "No idea, she just said she had to be somewhere but couldn't tell me why."

"Yo, what the fuck? I can't see anything." With the three hiding on the right side of the road, Majima's eyepatch made him unable to peek from his left.

"Well then stick your head out a bit, you doofus..!" Sun whispered, only to notice Kiryu gesturing they start to move. "She's turning a corner, we have to go."

All three quietly snuck to the corner Blake turned to. By the looks of it, she seemed to be making her way towards the Marketplace section of town. Already they were confused as to where she would be going. 

"...You think she's hungry for fish?" The Mad Dog peeked his head out of the corner, now on the left side of the road as they watched the faunus moving down the street.

Sun couldn't help but to chuckle, only to cover his mouth when Blake's ear twitched.

"...let's not crack any jokes... though I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she were to sneak out just for some fish." Kiryu wondered as he watched his girlfriend move down the street. He cupped his chin, already thinking of the worst possible scenario. "...She couldn't be..."

"Couldn't be what?" Looking up from the ground, Sun grew curious of what Kiryu meant by that.

"She couldn't be making her way to do a bad deal behind our backs, could she?"

Majima raised a brow at the Dragon of Dojima, lips pursing in amusement. "Bad deal huh? What kinda deal we talkin' about here? Money laundering? Drugs? A bounty?"

"Guys..! She's moving again." Sun pointed as Blake turned another corner, forcing Majima and Kiryu to stumble over Sun as they all began to follow once more.

Just as Blake entered a seemingly normal pathway that led to the suburbs, the three all began to grow worried. She didn't stop at any of the shops in the Marketplace, and here she was about to enter the suburbs. They watched quietly behind a store, hearing Blake calling out for someone named _Ilia_. Kiryu wasn't aware who this person was, nor Majima, but Sun did. 

"...Ilia? What does she want with her?" The monkey furrowed his brows, seeming uncomfortable Blake was meeting the person who attacked Majima. 

"Ilia? Who's that?"

"That's the girl who attacked you a month ago." 

"...the _fuck_..?!" Majima had to cover his mouth, any louder and he would've sabotaged their position. All three stayed quiet as they tried to listen to what Blake and her friend were discussing. Unfortunately, being a few yards away didn't make their words any bit audible. 

"...I can't hear a single thing she's saying." The Dragon sighed to himself, wondering if he could sneak closer without being spotted. Slowly he began to move, ducking down so this _Ilia_ couldn't see him from behind. 

A hand grabbed the back of his shoulder, pulling him back. Majima was quick to pull his friend from being noticed. "...There's two people on each corner behind Blake. I can already tell this is going to be bad news."

Clicking his tongue, Kiryu gave a nod as he slowly backed to his position. He needed a plan to take out those two goons from ambushing Blake. "Majima, Sun, you think we could take them out?"

With a grin, Sun gave the man a thumbs up. "Hell yeah I can. I'll take the dude on the left, Majima you get the right."

"Yeah yeah..."

Kiryu stayed back, keeping an eye on Blake while Sun and Majima went in separate directions. The two evenly walked to their targets, sneaking up behind. Both looked towards Kiryu, who gave them a thumbs up. Immediately the two took the moment to put down their targets. Sun wrapped his arm over his target's neck, choking him out. Majima on the other hand, simply struck his hand down onto his goon's neck, knocking out him in an instant.

While the moment was a success, another danger lurked from above. At the roof next to Blake, a figure with wings stood on their feet. It seemed they were ready to attack, forcing Kiryu to take action. Without thinking, he rushed towards the faunus in trouble. Both Sun and Majima knew something was wrong, seeing how Kiryu just rushed out of his spot in a noticeable manner.

Blake turned around to see her partner rushing at her, which honestly spooked her a little. "Kiry-"

Hands shoved her out of danger, forcing the figure from earlier to land on Kiryu instead. A sound of pain and a loss of air came out as he was pushed to the ground with all that weight above him. It honestly hurt, leaving the man dazed and immobile on the ground.

"W-What the... Ilia?! What the hell is this? Were you trying to attack me?!" Blake felt both shock and anger running through her veins. Did her friend call her out here just to ambush her? 

With a growl of annoyance, the chameleon nodded her head, fists clenching shut. "Yeah, because you and your family are just in our way. Yet here comes those humans you brought along with you, messing everything up!" Ilia gestured for the man to give her her old weapon back, to which he complied. It was perfect timing too, because Sun didn't hesitate to swing his staff behind the man's head. "Ha! Should've kept your eyes peeled buddy."

With Majima and Sun standing there instead of her team, Ilia knew she was outnumbered. "You... You can't be serious... you took my team out?!"

"Well, yeah. We followed Blake and eventually saw your team. We knew you were going to do something to her." The monkey grinned as he held his staff behind his head, resting on his shoulders. In a way, they unintentionally ruined Ilia's plan of kidnapping Blake.

Kiryu struggled to pick himself up, grunting in pain as Blake kneeled beside him to help him to his feet. "Kiryu... are you alright? I-I didn't know you were-"

"Oh enough with that bullshit! Why do you have to look at him like that?! Why couldn't you look at me like that?!" Ilia's yell was enough to throw everyone off guard. 

"...W-What are you saying?" From what she heard, Blake had an idea what Ilia was referring to, but didn't want to assume on the situation. It was already bad as it was.

There was a change of color from the scales on Ilia's body. Turning from red to pink, the faunus was clearly infatuated. "...You never looked at me when you were with Adam, and here you are doing the same to a human..."

"Ilia... I didn't know-"

"Of course you didn't know. You never _fucking_ know! Do you Blake?" Her voice began to raise up, jealousy filling her tone. "You were so busy gawking at Adam that you never bothered to ask how I'm feeling. Now here you are, back at home with a new boyfriend who's a _goddamn_ human! Don't you think that throws away everything we've been fighting for?!"

To hear her frustration, her words of jealousy, Blake didn't know what to say. She was at a loss of words as she looked down towards Kiryu, a frown appearing over her face. For a moment, she knew Ilia had a point, but that frown immediately turned towards her. Eyes narrowed at the chameleon. "So _what_ if he's human..? So what if I look at him that way? It doesn't mean I'll think of you any less, Ilia."

"Oh shut up! You Belladonna's are just the worst! First your parents leave the White Fang, then you run off, and now you want us to protect Haven Academy!? Screw you Blake, you and your entire family... I'd be home right now if I were you." Leaving her words of caution, Ilia took the chance to create a smoke of air to hide herself as she fled. Majima quickly moved to give chase.

"No! We... We need to head back home. My parents could be in danger." Realizing the weight of her warning, Blake began to hoist Kiryu to his feet despite his injury. "Sorry... but we have to move. Sun, call the police and let them know!"

"Already on it!"

"Good, let's move you guys!" Leading the three, Blake began to return towards the Belladonna mansion. Her heart was racing, her mind filled with thoughts of the worst posiible outcome. "Please... please be safe..." She pulled out her scroll, immediately dialing for her mother to warn her.

* * *

The mansion was already filled with White Fang members trying to take down the Belladonna's. Kali found herself being forced to hide against a table as assailants shot in her direction.

"Stay down!" One of the mansion guards warned Kali as he aimed to shoot over the table, only to get shot in the shoulder. Taking a hold of his dropped handgun, Kali knew she had to fend for herself. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" She fired at the men shooting towards her, ducking down as she felt both scared and angry for what was happening.

Arriving at the mansion, Blake felt her heart skip a beat from the noises she heard inside. "Oh no... we're too late."

"No, we aren't. There's still a chance they're alive." Kiryu spoke up, sighing as he knew that the house was likely filled with enemies. "Blake, Sun, you two go find the parents. Majima and I can take care of the majority." The Dragon smacked his hands together, a look of determination on his face.

"W-What? There'll be too many of them!" While she appreciated his bravery, Blake knew he was asking for suicide. "Please, let's all go together and-"

Majima had to push the two faunus towards the side of the house, a noticeable grin on his face. "Too many for us? Yeah, but this ain't our first rodeo, Blakey-Chan! Come on Kiryu! We got asses to beat!" With an insane laugh, the Mad Dog rushed towards the mansion doors, leaving Sun to chuckle in amusement. "Y'know, with his attitude I can actually believe they'll be fine." 

Blake didn't hesitate to cup Kiryu's cheeks before planting one last kiss, just in case. "Don't die on me, the both of you, please..."

"I won't. You better not die either." He knew what he'd be doing had the odds stacked against him. A two-man army against a number of White Fang members, it wasn't something original for the former yakzuas. As Blake and Sun went their separate ways, Kiryu caught up with the Mad Dog waiting for him at the entrance of the mansion.

"You ready, Kiryu-Chan?" Majima had the look of an excited psychopath, something that scared everyone except the Dragon of Dojima.

"Yeah. Let's do this." With their feet raised, both men kicked down the front doors blocked by two White Fang goons. Immediately a number of members turned to face the two men, all in shock from how easy they were able to bust inside. "Er, sorry for that. We got a call to take out some nasty pests in this house." Majima grinned as he knew his words would agitate the White Fang members inside the living room. 

With the odds stacked against them, Kiryu and Majima stood side by side as the White Fang surrounded them. "You'll regret calling us pests!" One of the members swung his lance at the Mad Dog, grunting as he missed every swing. Majima stuck his bat inside the man's mouth to catch him off guard.

"You know, the fun part about being a pest..."

His foot immediately came in contact with the enemy's head, knocking him out immediately. "...You ain't gotta be human to be one."

Punches were thrown at one of the member's guts, followed by a kick. With more members surrounding him, Kiryu knew he had to control the crowd. Grabbing one of them by the collar, he wrapped his arm around their neck before swinging them in circles, clearly the space that choked him. "Have fun flying!" Releasing the goon, Kiryu watched as they knocked down a few more members.

"Talk about bein' weak. These bitches go down the second you poke 'em!" Letting out a laugh, Majima rushed down the living room to the dining room, where two fat men stood eating the leftover food. Kiryu followed behind, cringing in disgust. "...Look at these pigs."

Their faces turned to Kiryu, agitated that he just called them an insult so fitting. "Want to repeat that, _human?"_ One of them approached the Dragon of Dojima, preparing to throw a fist at him.

Majima knew to take care of the second fat man so Kiryu could have his fun. Before the fist could strike Kiryu, the fat White Fang member suddenly felt a heavy punch connecting with his gut. All the air came out as he dropped to his knees, only to feel nauseous. "...H-How... did you-" Choking for a moment, the fat man began to vomit on the ground. 

"Majima!" Kiryu had a hot bowl of food in his hand, handing it to the Mad Dog who knew what to do with it. "Heh, thanks Kiryu."

"Huh? Hey! Why are you having food in front of m-" That very hot bowl was slammed into his face by Majima, who grinned as he held it to the second White Fang member's face. The hot water burned his skin, causing him to scream in anquish as he tried to pull away. The Mad Dog wouldn't let go so easily, keeping a hold of the enemy's head so the soup could burn him entirely until he was unconscious.

Dropping the bowl, the fat man's burnt skin was exposed, causing Kiryu to winch. "...you didn't kill him, right?"

 _"PFFFT-"_ Majima had to laugh at the comment. "Of course _not!_ What makes you think I ever killed a man?" With a shrug, Kiryu began to lead the way towards the open yard in the middle of the house. Things were bad now: numerous White Fang members were wielding weapons, firearms, and bombs. Two muscular men were also present, their arms folded. Yet despite all this, the Dragon of Dojima and Mad Dog of Shimano both grinned in amusement. 

"...feels like we're back home, dealin' with the Tojo Clan."

"Yeah, this is nothing new." Fists raised, Kiryu began to charge towards the east side of the yard, skipping past the members with swords and explosives. He aimed right for the two gunmen standing on a small podium leveled above the sand. Grabbing one of their arms, he aimed and shot at the opposite gunman's shoulder, only to punch the remaining gunman in the gut to knock him out.

His head looked up to see one of the muscular men rushing towards him, forcing Kiryu to hop over the fence from the podium onto the ground. He ran up to the bombers, slamming one of their heads into the wall behind them before he punched their guts. He wasn't quick enough though. One of the bombers threw a flash bang that blew off right in front of Kiryu. Blinded, he felt two arms wrapping under his shoulders to pin him. For a moment, he struggled due to the lack of vision, but managed to shake them off. Hands rose up to rub his eyes to regain his vision, only to have him suffer from a swing by one of the lancers. Thankfully his aura absorbed the damage, but it didn't mean he was able to avoid the following attacks that sent him to the ground.

"Ngh... fuck..." Kiryu quickly picked himself back up, rushing towards the same enemy that knocked him to the ground. A fist connected to their gut, putting them out of commission.

"W-What the-?! How did he do that?!" One of the members cried out, having seen Kiryu just rise up and attack immediately when he was sent down. In a way, it scared a few of the members that were still standing, with the exception of the muscular men that Majima were handling. Kiryu was quick to grab two of the remaining members by the shoulders, pulling them to have their heads bash together.

With the last two men, Kiryu rushed up to drop kick one of them to the ground. The last standing member began to panic, standing back as he shook his head. "n-No! Please man don't hurt me!" Regardless, he was going to be hurt, just in a less painful manner. Grabbed by his collar, the member felt himself being lifted into the air in Kiryu's grip, only to feel a push sending him into the air. With gravity acting against him, the last member cried out in pain as he landed onto the man Kiryu drop kicked earlier, knocking the two out of commission. With the main infantry finished, Kiryu looked up to see how Majima was fending for himself.

Heavy punches were thrown towards him from the front. It was a boon that the Mad Dog was quick on his feet, as every punch was dodged so easily. That didn't mean it was all too good for Majima though. The more he dodged, the further back he moved, unintentionally moving closer to a corner. Once trapped, the Mad Dog saw as two heavy fists came flying towards his face. Ducking his body, Majima forced the two to punch the wall instead, having them break it as they unintentionally trapped their hands inside. 

"Ngh! I can't pull it out!"

"Pull harder!" 

As they both struggled, Majima whipped out his bat with that sadistic look on his face. "Batter' up!" He readied his weapon, only to start bashing it down onto each of their backs and legs. Laughter came spilling out as he brought pain upon these two men, ignoring the bones he might've cracked. Only when they fell did Majima stop swinging his bat. Heavy breaths came out the Mad Dog, who turned his head towards the Dragon who was watching him.

"Come on, they're in the hall up ahead."

"Alright, let's kick some ass and save the family." 

Both men rushed to the doors sitting at the opposite end of the open yard, only to encounter more White Fang members. It wasn't difficult to simply bash their heads against the walls or take them down with kicks resembling break dancing to clear a path. With their enemies out of the way, Kiryu and Majima rushed to the source of the noise they heard. The struggle between Blake and Ilia, along with Ghira and the White Fang brothers was just right next door. Stopping right before the doors, both men had to catch their breaths before giving each other one last look.

"You ready, Kiryu-Chan?"

"Yeah, are you?"

Receiving a nod from the other, both ex-yakuzas smiled as they kicked down the doors to the open hall that was on fire. The upper floor was covered in flames, while Corsac and Fennec were dealing with Ghira. Sun had Ilia pinned against a support beam that was cracking.

"Oh, Kiryu! Go get 'em. I'll help Ghira." Majima tapped the man's shoulder just before he dashed towards Ghira. He didn't hesitate to help the man fighting on his own, kicking away Fennec as he tried to attack the Chieftan. "Ack! H-How did you... why are _you_ here?!"

With a grin, Majima pressed the button on his bat to reveal his knife, holding it up to threaten the faunus. "I should be askin' you that. Nobody invited you here." Hearing his words, Fennec began to charge at the Mad Dog with his weapon in hand. Dagger clashed against knife, leaving Ghira with more room to breathe. "Thank you, now I can really show this faunus here what it means to _intrude_ on someone else's property." Golden eyes glared at Corsac, who wasn't intimidated.

Blake was gazing at the scene, having recovered from a rough kick that knocked her out momentarily. With her father fighting and Majima assisting him, she grew relieved until she noticed Sun choking Ilia. "...Sun... stop... please..." She stuck her hand out, struggling to stand.

Having noticed the support beam, Kiryu rushed in to pull the monkey out of the way. "Sun, stop! The beam's about to-" It was too late, cracks began to break away the support for the beam, causing it to fall. Without hesitation, the Dragon dashed to grab Ilia, hugging her as a shield despite the given fact he was going to be crushed along side with her. 

His eyes were shut tight, expecting the beam to crush him already, but it didn't. He opened and blinked when he realized Ilia was cowering beneath him, her chameleon scales pink given she was flustered from the heroic act Kiryu had just performed. Both turned to see that Ghira was holding up the beam to prevent it from crushing them. "...G-Go... now!"

With his command, the two moved away as Ghira began to lose the strength to hold the beam. His fight with the brothers had taken a toll on his body, given the stab wound on the back of his shoulder. Sun knew he needed to help as he activated his semblance, sending two of his clones to help the man carry the heavy beam.

Grabbing a hold of his dagger, Fennec began to charge it's full power. He had enough, he needed to kill the Chieftan so the White Fang could take over. A look of bloodlust was present in his eyes as he dashed towards the man, letting out a war cry as he prepared to blast a ball of fire. 

"Dad!" Blake knew what was going to happen and used her whip to wrap it around her father's waist. She tugged to pull him out from underneath, leaving Fennec to unintentionally let himself be crushed and killed from the explosion from his dagger. 

It was a shocking moment indeed, with a death present in the room, but for Blake it didn't matter. Everyone was safe. Even Kiryu and Majima. Wiping her eyes of the tears she had, Blake rushed up to hug Kiryu, squeezing him as tight as she could. "Thank goodness you're alive..." 

A small chuckle came out of him, a hand gently rubbing the back of the kitty's head. "It wasn't easy, but we both made it."

Looking up at her lover, Blake smiled as she felt lost in his eyes. Something she wished she could be trapped in forever.

"OI! KIRYU!" 

It was unexpected, but the feeling of a cold metal stabbing into his gut threw Kiryu off guard. If only he paid attention, if only he reacted fast enough to Majima's warning. Maybe he wouldn't be standing there, frozen in place as blood began to seep out from his body. The look of bloodlust on Corsac's face was traumatizing. Something to be burned into his mind for the rest of his life. This faunus wanted to kill him, and was nearly successful in doing so, something Amon couldn't do which made this all the more humiliating.

Blake, and everyone else, watched as Corsac had his dagger thrusted into Kiryu when he turned around. There was so much blood that one wouldn't believe a human body could store that much until they saw what happened. 

"K... Kiryu..?" She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The love of her life, standing there with a blade deep in his body as blood spilled onto the ground next to his feet. She couldn't help it, but her eyes began to water as her body shook with fear. A fear worse than Adam. The fear of losing a love one took over her. 

Majima was quick to pull Corsac aside, a look of wrath covered his face as he glared at the faunus. 

"...you... took one of mine... now I'll take one of your-" Majima wasn't going to let him finish. He started punching Corsac over and over, grunting as his fist repeatedly connected to his face. He just stabbed his best friend, his rival, and now he was about to lose Kiryu.

All his senses began to go numb at that moment. His legs gave away and dropped him to the floor on his back, blood now leaking from beneath him. From Blake's screaming to Majima's cries, Kiryu wasn't sure what to focus on. Everything felt too much for him. He looked up, trying to focus on Blake's face as she tried to get his attention. Her words, he couldn't make sense of them, they sounded muffled and inaudible.

Her hands were stained with his blood, trying to do whatever she could to stop his leakage. She didn't want to pull out the dagger, but she knew the blood wouldn't stop leaking. She was a mess, tears rolling down her cheeks as she felt helpless in this situation. Carefully she cupped her lover's cheek, trying to stop herself from crying so she could actually speak. 

_"K-Kiryu please! Don't die on me p-please! Focus on me! Please don't leave me!"_

He hadn't realized it, but the feeling of having something sharp in his body came back to him, and it _hurt._ He wanted to scream in pain, but couldn't. He felt so numb that he couldn't let out anything except a soft sigh of breath. He tried to understand what Blake was telling him, he tried... but nothing made sense from what she was saying. He just wanted to be at peace from how much this hurt.

Corsac's face was beaten to a pulp, blood and bruises staining his face after Ghira had to pull the raging Mad Dog off of him. 

_"LET ME GO! I'M GOING TO KILL THIS F-FUCKING BASTARD!"_ Majima squirmed like a child, wanting to go back and finish the job by killing the man who just stabbed his best friend.

The situation wasn't pretty for anyone. The Belladonna's were just invaded, and now they had a dying man laying in front of them.

Blake never cried harder in her life than before. This was worst than when Adam attacked her and her friends back at Beacon. She was about to lose someone she loved. Her hands clung to Kiryu's, begging out loud for him not to pass. It was the most horrifying thing than anything she could imagine. To think that her life would continue without this man, it was a reality that she was most scared of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Midterm season came around and kept me occupied, I also got wrapped up in finishing Yakuza 4. Thanks for being patient, and thanks for reading! Feel free to leave comments. Hopefully you're all enjoying this story!


	13. Recovery and Support

The following morning came after a mess yesterday's evening brought to the family. Luckily for the Belladonna's, the fires were put out, the ambushing White Fang members were arrested, and all of the faunus in Menagerie were persuaded by Blake's motivational speech to join her on the mission to protect Haven Academy. There was no way she was letting Adam spread his message of hate and violence to the rest of the world, not if she could help it. 

While things did hold up positively well, there was also a bigger issue that kept Blake awake late throughout the night. She had stayed inside one of the hospitals that were tending to Kiryu's gut wound. It was a miracle that a medical team came in to treat him when the Menagerie police arrived at the mansion. From watching the medics taking out the dagger to patching him up effectively as possible, Blake, along with everyone, watched with anxiety. They all needed to hope he would pull through, he needed to. Otherwise...

Shaking her head as she looked up from where she was resting, Blake took a deep breath as she gazed at her surroundings. That's right... she fell asleep in the hospital room Kiryu was being treated in. Blake couldn't leave him alone, not when she knew he needed her by his side. Her arms were sore after cushioning her head onto Kiryu's bed throughout the night. Her eyes felt heavy, and her chest did too. Everything about last night began to come back to her at a hundred miles per hour. From the ambush, to fighting Ilia, and now this...

Slowly she stood up, stretching her body as she didn't sleep comfortable. It was just her and Kiryu inside this room. With all the machines beeping, to seeing the tubes connected to his arm and nose, Blake felt butterflies in her stomach, and not in the good way. Just seeing him like this, injured and close to the brink of death, it was a reminder of what reality was like. He wasn't invincible as she thought he was, and it was easy for someone to just grab a knife and end him, right before her eyes.

Carefully she leaned in, caressing the former yakuza's hand. She wanted to have him know she was present. "Good morning... I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm here." Her voice was soft, trying not to break, She had to be brave, not just for him but for herself. "I didn't leave your side since last night, but we did it. We beat Corsac and Fennec, we got the faunus to join us, now all we need is for you to wake up and heal."

Wake up and heal, she knew it wasn't as easy as it seemed. They had two weeks left, and here was Kiryu with a gut wound. How was he suppose to fight Adam now? What if his wound tore open? There wasn't going to be enough time for this man heal completely.

Her train of thought became broken as she heard the door open from behind. Sun and Majima were there, both seemingly worried. "Yo... how's he doin'?" With a low voice, the Mad Dog stepped forward, gazing over his unconscious friend.

"He's stablized... so far his heart beat is normal, but the nurses haven't checked on him since yesterday." Blake frowned as she said that. Was he even doing better? What if he wasn't and she didn't notice? "W-We should call a nurse! Just in case."

Sun gave a nod, deciding to head out of the room. It was perfect timing too, as a nurse was approaching him down the hall. "Hey, uh... are you here to check up on my friend here?"

"Kiryu Kazuma?"

"Yeah."

Sun stepped aside as he let the nurse enter the room. She had a pleasant smile on her face as she approached the trio. "Good morning you three, I suppose you're all friends of his?"

Everyone gave a nod, with Blake being their voice. "We um... We wanted to ask if you could check his condition. I don't know how he's doing right now."

"Not to worry, dear. I'm here to do just that. Please scoot aside, and I'll have a look." Hearing the nurse's words, Blake stood up and sat besides Majima, shivering in anticipation. She couldn't help it, she was scared of any bad news. Even Majima knew how she was feeling, who decided to rub the faunus' shoulder as a means of support and comfort.

The next few minutes felt like torture for the Mad Dog, who waited in silence with Blake and Sun. He looked up once the nurse gave out a noticeable sigh of comfort. "So... how's he doin'? Is he alright?"

There was the same smile on her face, only brighter. "Yeah, everything is going as expected. His blood work is looking normal, his heart rate is good as he's resting. He should wake up anytime soon today."

The news they heard, it lifted the weight off their chests. It seemed like they could all breathe easily now. Sun smiled, turning to the noise with a question in mind. "So, how long would a wound like that take to heal?"

"About a month or so."

That was bad... very bad. The Mad Dog stood up, an expression of worry on his face as he turned to Blake. It seemed like she knew what he was thinking. "That's gonna be past the time for the attack on Haven." Blake couldn't help but to rub her arm. She knew this meant their forces to protect Haven took a blow. "...He'll have to sit this out then.

"What..?" He heard that correctly, right? "Oi, Blake you can't be serious-"

She turned to him with a raised brow, clearly confused by his response. "Of course I am, why would we send him out to Haven when he's recovering?"

"Well, yeah but Adam-"

"So _what_ about Adam? Kiryu's hurt, and I don't need to see him getting killed when we're fighting! Please... I can't let him fight when he's hurt." Turning towards her unconscious lover, Blake gently grabbed his hand. "I could barely handle what happened last night. If I were to truly lose him... I-I don't know what I'd do..."

He couldn't argue with that. His eye looked towards the ground, letting out a disappointed sigh. "...Alright, I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat. Talk to you later." Walking past Sun, Majima patted the monkey's shoulder as he made his way out. 

"Blake, I'm gonna go with him, there's still things we gotta do out there." 

She didn't bother saying anything to Sun. Only a nod of her head would come from her. "Alright... message me when he wakes up." Heading towards the door, Sun would leave before seeing Majima quickly pacing down the hall. He'd start to jog, wanting to catch up. "Hey, Majima! Wait up! Where are we going to eat?"

"We're not. I'm going to see Komaki."

Komaki? Sun blinked as he stopped in place for a second before resuming his pacing. "W-Wait, why are you going to see him? Let me tag along with you-"

"No, Sun. You got things to do with the Belladonna's."

"Look man, I know you're upset but just let me-"

"I fucking said _no_ , Sun. Don't make me go and repeat myself." There was a look of frustration and anger on the Mad Dog's face. "I know you're upset like everyone, but there's somethin' I need to see Komaki for. Its important, so please... don't worry 'bout me. Go and help Blake's parents. They need you more than I do."

The faunus couldn't help but to frown, he really did want to tag along, but understood there was much to do. "Okay... but first tell me what you're going to see him for."

"Can't do that, not even I know what I'm going to see him for..." Majima had no clue why he wanted to see Komaki, but deep down he _knew_ he had to see him. That old man had the answers he needed, and they were either going to make or break the upcoming fight.

The Mad Dog made his way out of the hospital, leaving Sun to help the Belladonna's with training and giving everyone the gear they needed. 

...

"Yo! Master Komaki! You in there?"

Banging against the door to the dojo, Majima gave out a sigh of annoyance as he heard no response. Again, he'd begin banging the door. "Oi! Old man! Are you in there or not?!"

A familiar chuckle came from behind, forcing Majima to turn around to see the old man standing behind him with bags in hand. "I'm out here, if that's what you mean. You're just in time, pupil. Help me set my groceries inside." 

"Ah... r-right..." Stepping aside, Majima took both bags from his master, watching him unlock the door before walking in after Komaki. "So... you free today or no?"

Walking to his kitchen, Komaki gestured for his pupil to hand him one of the bags. "Free today, hm? Of course I am. A master must be free in case his students need help. What seems to be bothering you, my young pupil?" Komaki already took notice of the look in Majima's eye. He could see how troubled the man was. 

He wasn't sure where to begin. His throat bobbed as he formed the words in his head. "...Its Kiryu." Komaki stopped in place as he was storing a lettuce inside the fridge. His head turned towards Majima, waiting for him to continue. 

"...He's hurt, really bad. Some fuckwit faunus gutted him with a knife, now he's busy sleepin' in the hospital. The issue is, it'll take more than a month for him to heal before the attack on Haven. Do you got any special tricks to make his healin' faster?"

A small hum of thought came out as he cupped his chin. The old man then continued to store his groceries away. "I... suppose there is _one_ trick I haven't taught him yet."

That answer brought a glow into the Mad Dog's eye. "You.. You ain't fuckin' with me. Right..?"

"What do you take me for? A jokester?" Letting out a low chuckle, Komaki grabbed a few boxes of tea from his bag. "This trick, its not offensive like all my techniques have been. This trick requires a strong mental focus on healing one's body. It can be tiresome, enough to force someone to fall asleep if they don't perform it well."

Just hearing that, Majima couldn't help but to smile in relief. It seemed like they still had a chance.

"Tell me." That caught the Mad Dog off guard. "Why do you need Young Kiryu to fight? You alone are powerful as him."

"Its..." He didn't bother to think why before. Why did he need Kiryu to fight? "I guess... I'm just mad some regular faunus took him down, and after all this time trainin' him, it'll feel like it was for nothin' if he doesn't fight Adam."

Komaki turned to Majima as he finished storing the groceries in his fridge. "And why must _he_ be the one to fight Adam? Why not you?"

"Tch, me? Don't get me wrong, old man. I'd love to kick Adam's ass, but when the Dragon of Dojima goes up and announces to a bunch of people sayin' he's going to fight that bastard, I can't exactly take that respect away." Majima knew how important this was to Kiryu. 

"So... its all about respect. You're a good man, my young pupil. You have more honor than most people would have, especially Adam who claims to be fighting for the faunus." Komaki opened the lid of a tea box to take out a few packets. "Take these, and give them to him. Make sure he drinks all three packets. I'll begin training him once he approaches me."

Taking the packs of tea, Majima glanced at the flavor. "Ginger lemon..? Why is this so important?"

"Its to help his body heal for now. The real healing will be worst with that wound of his."

To think this old man had a trick up his sleeve, Majima couldn't help himself but to give out a chuckle. "Alright, I'll have him come by once he's ready."

* * *

The next day came by, with Majima, Kiryu, and Blake all walking towards the Dojo. The cat couldn't help but to feel bothered by this idea of Majima's. but knew she couldn't argue against it. If it was going to help Kiryu, she wasn't going to complain about it.

Approaching the dojo, Kiryu carefully knocked. The door to the dojo opened, with Komaki standing there with a smile on his face. "Good morning, my young pupils and Ms. Belladonna."

"H-Hi..." Blake gently waved at him with a smile. She wasn't sure what was going to happen, but decided to come and watch the man train her partner.

Walking in, the three took their seats upon a couch for guests. "Make yourselves comfortable, I'll prepare today's lesson." Komaki approached one of his shelves, digging through a cabinet to fetch out one of his many scrolls. He placed it upon the table before unrolling it in front of Kiryu and his friends. 

"What's this?" The Dragon asked, trying to read what the scroll had written inside it.

"This here... is one of the less taught techniques of the Komaki fighting style. Simply because, its not a fighting style. More so focused on recovery. This will hurt you as you need to tense your body and focus your aura."

Blake didn't like the last bit she heard, given Kiryu was barely able to start walking again. Still, she had to sit back and watch as Kiryu stood and walked over to the open space next to them. 

"Now, my young pupil. This technique is called the _Asura Spirit._ Whenever you're low on health and feel very hurt, you may use this technique to restore your vitality. However, you must have learned the _Golden Dragon Spirit_ to do this. Have you learned this yet?" 

To think he needed to know another skill beforehand. Kiryu shook his head, knowing this was going to be tougher than he thought. 

"As I thought... here comes the painful part. The Golden Dragon Spirit will charge your semblance, but you must focus with both soul and body to perform this successfully. Now, do as I show you." 

As Komaki took a stance on both feet, he began to charge up his semblance. A noticeable blue aura began to form around his torso, followed by the blue light moving into his head.

That stance looked like it would hurt, but he had no choice. Kiryu mimicked his master's stance and began to focus. His body ached around his gut, forcing him to stop for a moment to catch his breath. "O-Ow..."

"Its okay, young pupil. You nearly had it, you must hold it a little longer before I can teach you the next technique. This is the only hard part."

Letting out a sigh, Kiryu began to focus once again, trying to ignore the pain he felt in his gut. "N-Ngh..." A sweat came down his forehead. It felt like his wound was going to tear itself open.

"Now stop!" Hearing his words brought relief as Kiryu stopped tensing himself. "F-Finally... what's next?"

"What's next, is the Asura Spirit technique. You'll transfer that heat you just gained into restoring your health. Now watch." Komaki began to take another stance, focusing his semblance's heat into restoring his energy. The aura around Komaki glew up again, this time the light moving towards his chest. "Now, give it a try."

Just as he watched, Kiryu mimicked the stance and technique. His heat moved into his gut, numbing the pain slightly. His eyes blinked, clearly surprised that such a technique actually worked. "It... hurts less now than before. How much can it restore?" 

"Little as of now, but the more you use it, the more you'll recover. Keep practicing, my young pupil. You have a big fight coming your way." A smile appeared on Komaki's face, watching as Kiryu repeated the two techniques.

...

Majima and Blake watched as Kiryu spent the next hour repeating those two moves. She was happy alright, seeing her partner getting better at the moves he just learned, but she couldn't stop feeling upset about this. "...Did we really need to bring him out here to do this? Why couldn't we just let him rest in bed?"

"Because he's gotta fight Adam, that's why." That was a general way of answering her question, but Majima knew why exactly. 

She couldn't help but to become bothered by the reasoning Majima gave her. "He's _gotta_ _?_ That doesn't make any sense."

Majima gave out a sigh of annoyance, a hand rubbing his face. "You really don't know, do you?"

"I do know! But after seeing him getting hurt like that... I don't feel comfortable seeing him do all this. I know he's mad at Adam, but I don't need him forcing himself to do all this. He can fight him another day."

His head turned towards the faunus, a noticeable glare coming from him. "And why's that?"

She frowned at his response, knowing he was going to become bothered by her way of thinking about this whole mess. "I know he's been hurt, from being stabbed, to having a bounty on his head, but I just don't understand why he's forcing himself to do all this just to make it to battle, when clearly he needs to rest." Deep down, she didn't want Kiryu fighting her ex-mentor. She was scared. Scared of seeing Kiryu getting his head arm chopped off or something worse.

Majima was gazing over the faunus' face for a moment. He understood where she was coming from. Even he was worried for the man. "...Yeah, I get that, but once Kiryu has his mind set on somethin', there's no persuading him. He's just gotta do this. Not just for the faunus, or you, but for himself."

"...For himself?" She turned to him, her ears perking up in curiosity.

"Yeah, he's doin' it as a way of honoring his word. Plus..." His lips formed into a subtle smirk. "...It'll tell Adam he ain't that strong. We gotta tell that man to step down, right?"

Just hearing his words, Blake nodded as she tried to began to understand what Majima meant by that. "Y-Yeah... I guess I was just too worried to think about that."

"Ah, don't worry about it. You're just lookin' out for him like a good girlfriend should." 

She couldn't help but to smile, her cheeks blushing from his comment. He was right though, Blake was just looking after him like any lover would. It made her look up at Kiryu, a wave of confidence coming over her as she knew he was preparing himself for their big fight.

"RIght... like a good girlfriend. I'll do my best to help him." 

* * *

The last two weeks were spent peacefully. From all the faunus being trained in basic combat, to Kiryu practicing the new techniques he learned to heal himself, life at Menagerie was filled with anticipation for the upcoming battle.

Everyone was onboard the ship that brought Blake and her friends to Menagerie. They were heading towards Haven Academy, all donning their gear and weapons. Anxiety, excitement, mixed emotions filled everyone's bodies as they rode to their destination. As everyone was trying to talk to one another as a means of boosting confidence or distracting themselves, Kiryu had a different means of soothing his nerves.

His eyes stared at the water being moved from the back of the ship. The reflection of the moon on the water's surface was the only clear image he could see. Slowly he brought up a cigarette to his lips, taking a drag before he blew out another air of smoke. He wanted to clear his mind, wanting to cherish this last moment of peace before their arrival. It would be his only chance to keep his mind at ease, not having to worry about being killed or fighting off someone.

Familiar footsteps approached him from behind. Before he could lift his head to see who it was, Kiryu felt the cigarette being taken out from his fingers before watching it getting thrown into the ocean. His face turned to see an annoyed Blake, who had her hand open towards him. 

"Alright, give me it."

He blinked. A look of confusion as he was being naive. "Give you what?'

"The pack and lighter. Both of them. I already told you I don't like seeing you smoke." Blake's expression turned to a frown when Kiryu handed her what she demanded. A sigh came out of her, ears dropping as she took a step closer towards him. "Kiryu... you don't have to go down that path if you're scared."

His head turned away, wishing to return to the moving water where he was at peace. Watching him do this began to bother her even more. "Kiryu..." She rubbed his sleeve, pinching her thumb and index to tug at the fabric gently. "Please look at me..." 

Kiryu did as she requested, noticing a different look on her face. She was gazing up at him worriedly, only to press herself against his chest before her arms wrapped around his body.

"I know you're scared... but please... I want you to come to me when you're feeling upset. I know I might sound clingy or demanding... but I'd rather not lose you early on. Okay?" Her words were caring and apologetic in a sense, but overall they carried the love she felt for him. A hand brushed up to caress his cheeks. 

"I'm going to be there with you, always. Please, come to me if you ever need help, just as I will to you. Promise?"

A breath came out in response, followed by a nod. "I'll try-"

"No."

He blinked in surprise. "No?" 

She shook her head, brows furrowing at him. "No. I want you to promise me. I... I need that reassurance, that you won't go down that path. That if you ever start to doubt yourself, you'll come to me. Please... I need that." Blake began to grip his hands, her face leaning closer as she began to breathe heavier in anticipation for his answer. "...Can you do that? For me..?"

Reassurance. So that's what this was all about... "...How long, have you been let down?" Kiryu wished to know, a noticeable look of concern on his face.

Her eyes looked down, only to gaze back at him. "A lot. Adam's let me down a lot, so its hard to... believe people sometimes, unless they tell me otherwise."

He couldn't blame her. You could only be let down so many times before that trust is broken, and sticks to you forever. 

"Alright, I promise. I promise I won't go down that path."

His answer alone brought a smile to her lips. She leaned in to kiss him quick before pulling away. "Thank you, now... are you ready?"

"Ready? For what?"

"For our upcoming battle. We're already here."


	14. Approaching Death's Door

Their trip to Haven Academy finally came to an end, and everyone was filled with the jitters inside them. The atmosphere felt tense, as if it was hard to breathe, like they were stepping towards hell. Of course, the same couldn't be said for Kiryu and the rest of his friends. They were all experienced fighters who could take care of themselves, leaving everyone else who came along to depend on them for instructions.

Blake made sure to step before everyone, taking a deep breath as all eyes were focused on her. "Listen up, everyone! What we're about to do... might be the most scariest thing you've done, but I want you to know you're not alone! We'll be fighting with you, and what we'll be doing is going to bring a change the faunus needs! Do you understand?"

In rhythm, the faunus all agreed in sync, causing Blake to smile in amusement. They were really going to be doing this. Stopping Adam and bringing a new change to the White Fang that didn't involve violence.

"Now, everyone join the teams you were assigned. We'll be split into four teams to surround Haven Academy. The place will be filled with White Fang members. Though they may be your friends, your brothers and sisters, we're not here to kill them. We're simply here to stop and make them surrender! Understand?"

Once again, everyone agreed in rhythm before they began to scramble to their assigned teams. Blake made sure Kiryu was on her team as the front-line offense. A smile appeared over her lips when he approached her from the crowd. "You're going to be our main offensive unit, are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem." He was comfortable with the position given. After all, it helped to unite both human and faunus. Blake took a look towards his abdomen, wondering his wound was doing. "...Did it heal completely?"

Kiryu knew she was being quiet to keep morale high with the rest of the faunus. "Yeah... I made sure to heal it completely. The scar is still there, but the wound itself isn't."

"Good." She blew out a sigh, looking up at him. "I won't be fighting for now, since me, my dad, Ilia, and one of the police commanders are going to be leading the teams into battle. Just... make sure not to take another knife to the gut."

A short smirk appeared on his lips, head nodding in agreement. "Of course. I'll be facing Adam after all." Despite his confidence, Blake still felt worry building up in her chest. "Are you... scared?"

He had to admit, maybe he was. His eyes looked down at her hands, wondering if she was scared by the subtle shaking. "A little, but I've encountered a whole clan before. What about you?"

"Yeah, but I have you." With her hands cupping over Kiryu's, Blake felt a slight rush of confidence in herself. "Now come on, we have an academy to save!"

* * *

At the front gate of Haven Academy, Blake and her team approached with a determined look in their eyes to break through the White Fang's barricades. They had metal gates and boxes lying around all to create a sort of obstacle for anyone trying to break through. "Everyone! _Let's protect Haven!"_

Kiryu was the first to run towards the barricade, punching any White Fang members that attempted to retaliate upon his intrusion. Seeing him take the initiative, the faunus began to charge behind, each using their weapons and shields to put down any enemy while covering for one another. Blake had to rush in as well, but not too far so she could guide the faunus through the White Fang territory. 

She made sure to bring out Gamble Shroud in its sheathed form to attack anyone that would hurt any of her team members. Her eye caught notice of a big unit attempting to attack a few of the weaker faunus. "Mata! You're big enough to take on the big guys! Make sure they don't hurt the little ones!"

"You got it!" With his goat-horns, Malt rushed towards the bigger enemy, tackling him to the ground before they could hurt any of the faunus.

Kiryu was busy taking care of the enemies with firearms and bombs. "Sierra! I need your help here!" The snake-like faunus quietly made her way around the field, sneaking up behind each gun-wielding troop to knock them out. Their firing would come to a stop, giving Kiryu and the few faunus tagging with him the opening they needed to put down the bombers throwing grenades.

_"Shields up!"_

As Kiryu commanded, the faunus raised their shields to make the grenades bounce away, giving them enough time to step away from the blasts. Once the opening was clear, his battalion rushed in to start attacking the bombers, who were unlucky enough to be overwhelmed.

Blake took cover behind one of the barricades, placing a finger to her earpiece. "Reporting in! Team One. How's everyone doing?"

 _"Reporting in, Team Two, we're handling the east side of the academy pretty well."_ Ghira stopped to grab a nearby White fang troop to put him down. 

Gunshots were heard in the background as Kali called in. _"Team Three! We're under heavy fire. Majima is taking care of distracting most of the ground troops, but the gunners are pinning the rest of us down!"_

 _"Hold on Team Three! I'm sending some guys over!"_ Sun was quick to dispatch a backup battaltion.

"Good job. Remember, we can't afford to lose a single faunus. Make sure everyone is safe! And help each other!" Blake hung up on the call, only to look up and receive a headbutt to the face by a gunner. She was knocked back onto the ground, only to feel the weapon being pushed against her neck.

She gasped for air, struggling to kick free until the gunner was pulled away. Kiryu made sure to slam their head into the ground with full force, putting them down instantly. he turned towards Blake, reaching out a hand. "You alright?"

"Y-Yeah... so far the other teams are doing okay. How's everyone doing?"

"I don't know, but by the looks of it, we're doing pretty well. C'mon. We have a academy to save." With that smile of his, Blake couldn't help but to blush a little. "R-Right, let's go."

Blake's team continued to push through the enemy defenses, only to stop when a rocket exploded a few yards before them. "Crap! They have rockets!" Blake knew this could get messy. "Everyone! Stay back!" She commanded, knowing those rockets would easily take out the faunus. It was a thought she didn't want to think about.

From the covers she took, Blake stepped out to rush towards the troops firing rockets towards her. It was easy for her to evade, her semblance helping her jump onto the platforms the troops were shooting from. She'd punch one of them, only to quickly duck as a rocket flew right towards her.

She cried out a little from shock. That rocket barely missed, exploding when it hit a tree nearby. Quickly she picked herself back to her feet, dashing towards the last troop before she kicked them out of commission. She couldn't believe how easy it was to take down these two. "Alright everyone! Let's-"

Blake turned her head just in time to see Kiryu and the rest of the faunus having a full frontal attack with the White Fang infantry. It looked like war, which wasn't pretty. 

Hopping down behind the enemy, Blake began to swing Gamble Shroud, putting down every enemy that was distracted by her teammates. Slowly, the faunus began to overpower the remaining White Fang infantry, which helped them in pushing through the last of the White Fang's defenses. 

Kiryu rushed in with his battalion, along with everyone following Blake until they were stopped by a chainsaw wielding lieutenant. "Oi! Everyone stay back. Blake and I will deal with this." As ordered, the faunus all stepped to the back, watching as the two approached the lieutenant.

His chainsaw roared nastily, its engine growling like a predator. "So... you've come to die, is that it?"

"No. We're here to stop Adam. Now surrender or we'll make you." Her eyes narrowed as she removed the sheath from Gamble Shroud. Blake wasn't going to hold herself back in front of the faunus. They needed a leader who was strong, and she had to fulfil that role. 

Kiryu unsheathed his blade, eyes narrowing at the enemy. It seemed like the Lieutenant was unsure who to focus on as Blake and Kiryu circled him. With a subtle nod coming from him, Blake took the chance to lay the bait for the lieutenant. She'd rush in, forcing him to swing his chainsaw towards her. Just as she used her semblance to evade, Kiryu rushed in from behind to swing a few times at the enemy's back, stunning them long enough for Blake to dash in and kick him at the head. 

"Tch, seems like I'll have to get rough with you two..." The lieutenant began to charge towards Kiryu, forcing him to flee as the chainsaw roared loudly. He was dead set on slicing up Kiryu. "A human like you has no place in this world! You deserve to suffer!" He'd swing his saw down, only to miss as Kiryu rolled forward to evade.

Blake tried to rush in from behind, but felt her arm being grabbed as she swung down her blade. Her eyes shot open, seeing the saw coming towards her. Quickly she evaded the attack with her semblance once again, only to grow slightly tired from using it too much. "We need to get rid of his weapon! Then he'll be vunerable!" 

Disarming him, Kiryu had no clue how, but he figured one of his techniques would help in this situation. Watching as the lieutenant rushed up to him, Kiryu made up his mind on his next move.

Standing still, he waited for the lieutenant to come close to him, which in a way came off as a misunderstanding to everyone.

"Kiryu! What are you doing?!" Blake cried out. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Was he messing with her? Or was he purposely calling it quits?

Just as he came close to Kiryu, the lieutenant began to swing his chainsaw down towards his victim. In that split second before his saw could come in contact, a heavy punch shot to his gut. The lieutenant cried out in pain, flying back a few feet as he was suddenly at a loss of air inside his body. "W-What... just happened..?"

Walking up to him, Kiryu quickly stomped on the man's wrist before yanking the chainsaw out of his grip. He'd shut it off before throwing it to the side. "Blake, it's your turn!" 

On cue, she approached the lieutenant and stomped her heel right onto his mask, breaking it in half as well as putting him down. "And stay down!"

Cheers came from the faunus after watching the two achieving victory from a deadly foe. Blake couldn't help but to smile, turning to Kiryu. "What was that? You suddenly punched him away harder than I've seen!" 

"Oh, that?" Kiryu gave out a chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "That was a tiger drop. I can instantly punch and stun an enemy right before they attack me. Its a pretty risky move, so I don't rely on it unless its necessary."

"S-So it was a risk?" She sighed heavily, grabbing his shoulders before pressing her forehead against him. "...Please don't take those daring risks. You scared the hell out of me."

"Right right... anyways, let's keep moving ahead. We're almost at the academy." Just as he suggested, Blake gestured for the faunus to start following them once more. The team passed through the barricade that blocked the route to the courtyard. 

* * *

Grunting as he felt a baton being bashed against his knife, Majima growled as he couldn't land a single hit onto the elite trooper before him. "Oi! Ilia! How much longer til those bombs become disarmed?!"

"Just... hold them off! Okay?! I can't focus when you're talking to me!" She was sweating nervously, trying to cut the correct wire from one of the bombs she was working on. "Red... or Blue... Red or..." 

_"Cut it already!"_ He cried out, holding back the elite trooper that was trying to disrupt Ilia from her duty. She gulped nervously, deciding to cut the red wire. Immediately, Ilia pulled away to shield herself, only to blink when the bomb didn't go off. "Phew... that was close."

Majima felt a kick coming to his chest, forcing him to fall back. The elite trooper made his way quickly towards Ilia, grabbing onto her arm.

"Ack! Let go of me!" Grabbing her whip, Ilia began to swing at the trooper pulling her. She was lucky to stun him long enough to pull herself away, but it didn't take him down. "Majima! Help!" 

Standing back up, Majima rushed from behind to hop onto the troop's shoulders. Attempting to shift his weight to manipulate the trooper's movements, Majima felt his body being grabbed before he was thrown onto the ground. A groan came out, only for Majima to quickly roll away as the trooper attempted to stomp on him.

He stood back on his feet, glaring at the enemy who was now focused on him. Perfect.

Ilia resumed to disarming the bombs, trying to go as fast as she could in cutting the correct order of the wires. Majima swung his blade a few times, missing with every swing before his wrist was grabbed. He winched when his arm was twisted, eyes opening to see that the trooper was attempting to break his arm. 

"Shit!" Majima ducked and rolled to free himself, panting as he knew this battle wasn't going to end soon. That didn't matter right now, Majima had to protect Ilia as she disarmed the bombs. "Hurry the hell up so we can take this asshole down!"

"I'm almost done! I got two left!"

Rushing in, Majima began to kick at the legs the trooper sent when he kicked as well. Both legs collided, followed by synced punches forcing the two to stumble back. As he swung his knife, the trooper kicked Majima in the hand to force the knife up in the air. It was a risky gamble, but one the Mad Dog would take. He moved his foot up into the air instead of at the trooper, his feet pushing the handle of the blade right into the trooper's leg.

A noticeable groan came out of the enemy, his leg wounded with a knife stabbed through it. Majima quickly pulled the knife out, only to back away when the trooper tried to grab him. Before he could send out another attack, Majima stopped as a familiar whip struck the enemy, electrocuting him enough to put him out of commission. 

"All done!" Ilia smiled, gazing at the Mad Dog who gave out a soft sigh of relief. "Fuckin' finally..."

The chameleon gave out a giggle before taking out her radio. "Ilia here! I disarmed the bombs. Now Adam can't detonate any of them regardless."

_"Good job! Team One here. We just took care of Adam's lieutenant, we're entering the courtyard now."_

"Nice to know. Good luck out there, Blake." Hanging up, Ilia gave a nod to her protector. "You didn't have to go out of your way to help me."

The Mad Dog simply shrugged. "Figured you could'a used some help. Betcha glad I came in, didn't I?"

"Yeah yeah, now come on. We gotta catch up with Blake."

* * *

A blast from one of the walls from the main building startled Adam and his team. Hazel was sent flying out from the battle he was currently having. It didn't seem to leave a good impression on the now current _High-Leader._

One of the White Fang troops rushed up to Adam, a worried look on his face. "Sir... I'm afraid Blake's forces have penetrated our defenses!"

"...anything else?" His voice was low and subtle, hiding the frustration he clearly felt from Hazel failing to pull his weight and now Blake messing up his defenses.

"Um... Kiryu Kazuma is with her." 

A click of the tongue came out of him. "...So he's still alive huh? Shouldn't pay a human to do a faunus' job. They just take my money, and fail to complete the most _simplest_ of tasks! Is that too much to ask?!" His voice grew louder, anger slipping in through his words.

"N-No sir! Absolutely not, sir!"

Letting out a deep sigh, Adam pulled out his scroll. He had that video of Kiryu announcing his declaration to battle from two months ago. Just seeing that man's face bugged him. 

"Sir... are you playing that video again?"

"Of course I'm _fucking_ playing it. Why do you keep asking me that?"

"W-Well... you just seem so fixated on this human. What makes him so special anyways?"

He didn't know. How laughable. Adam couldn't hold back a chuckle as he tucked his scroll away. "You really don't know. Do you? Well let me explain. This man right here? He was with Blake when I saw her at Beacon. Right after she ran off like the scaredy cat she always is with her friends, an assassin came up to me and explained who this very particular human was. He's not some ordinary man. He's a goddamn mafia member, someone from organized crime."

The trooper began to wonder on the explanation, his mind drawing a blank. "...and how is that bad?"

"Oh, its not bad. Not bad for me at least. I've been getting reports of what this _Kiryu_ has been doing, and he's only digging his grave the more he messes up my plans." Giving out a low chuckle, Adam turned to the sound of a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Adam!"

There she was, standing upon a rooftop. Blake glared down at her ex-mentor, watching how he looked up at her. His goons drew up their arms, forcing Adam to spread his arms. "Hold your fire!" He gazed at her, only to let out a chuckle. "You made it so easy delivering yourself, Blake. Especially after the trouble I went through to find you."

She could shrug off the comment. "This isn't right for the faunus. Stop what you're doing, and we'll end this peacefully!"

Surrender. That was something Adam wouldn't do in a million years. "You're wrong Blake, and you can't stop us."

"No. Not by myself."

From the sidelines, Ghira's and Sun's teams approached from the sides. Things were already getting worse for him. Even one of the White Fang members recognized someone from the faunus that were present. "Mata?" 

"Please.. stop this!"

Adam only grew more frustrated, realizing victory was slowly slipping out of his grasp. "Don't be mistaken, brothers! These are _our_ enemies! And we won't let them ruin-!"

The sound of a siren going off as an airship flew over the courtyard caught everyone's attention. Its searchlight moved over to the center of the courtyard, partilally blinding Adam and his team. _"Adam Taurus! You're under arrest! Lower your weapon, and surrender immediately!"_

Great... things were absolutely at its worst. The high leader turned to Hazel, clearly distressed from how outnumbered he was. "What do we do now?"

With the cracking of knuckles. Hazel could only give one simple answer. "This is your problem. Fix it."

Blake hopped down, just in time for Kiryu to stand by her. Seeing the two of them together, it began to boil Adam's blood up until he had a realization. 

The atmosphere of being caught red-handed shifted to something more anxious for the people surrounding him. He began to laugh, which was rather unusual. 

"What's so funny, Adam?" Blake didn't like the sound of his laughter. There was nothing funny about this situation, unless he was now a madman.

Letting out a relieved exhale of breath, the high leader gazed up towards Kiryu. "Looks like the _man_ of the hour finally showed up. Isn't that right, Kiryu Kazuma?"

Just hearing the way he spoke, it made Kiryu feel uneasy about this moment. "Give it up, Adam. You're surrounded and no one is here to help you."

"No one, huh? You're the only human here. How are we any different?"

That threw him off guard for a second. He was human, which did set him as an outcast to all of the faunus that were present."Don't compare me to you. You're just a murderer, someone who's spiteful and wants revenge on the world. Including innocents."

"What about yourself? I mean... you are a _yakuza_ , am I wrong?"

For Adam to know about that, Kiryu felt his eyes opening wider than normal. It was a look that gave Adam the upper hand. "...So Amon told you."

"Of course Amon told me. He told me everything there is to know! About how you were framed for murder, had the whole clan up against you, and you beat up innocent civilians day and night. Tell me, did you really help out in Menagerie? Or were you just looking for another place to hurt people?"

" _That's not it Adam!"_ Blake had to step in, her face growing angrier by the second. "Kiryu came to Menagerie and helped restore the peace we needed. The peace _you_ couldn't bother to restore."

While it did bother him that Kiryu stepped in to help the faunus, Adam didn't care at the very end. "The peace _I_ couldn't restore? What about the peace he's about to take away? Like every human has done to us! Wake up, Blake! Because this human that you're in love with... is going to be holding you by the lease. Just how every human sees us faunus! Don't be tricked, brothers! This human here is just trying to lie to you so he could _walk all over you!"_

_"Enough!"_ With the words Adam was saying, Kiryu knew it was all bullshit. It was just a way for him to get under his skin. "I promised these faunus... I wouldn't let anyone hurt them, that I'd help them and that's it. Just how there's good and bad humans..." Slowly he began to approach the high leader of the White Fang, eyes narrowed down at Adam. "...there's good and bad faunus."

A scowl appeared on the faunus' face. His hands closing tight. "...What does Blake even see in you? You're just a human, a yakuza! Someone that wants to walk all over usI"

"I'm not. And I'll prove it to you." With a swift motion of his right hand, Kiryu removed his shirt, exposing the now filled in dragon tattoo on his back. Eyes were set on it, with most faunus easily intimidated by its appearance. For Blake, it was beautiful. 

"...Oi, Kiryu." Majima called out, clearly worried for his friend. Once Kiryu turned around, the Mad Dog could only grin. "You better kick his ass and show 'em that not all humans are bad. You and I are proof of that."

Blake could only smile at the comment before turning back to the scene at hand. The siren's spotlight was fixed on the two men who were about to duel. She did notice Hazel getting dragged away by a stinger formed by ice magic. With a hand, Blake gestured for Majima to follow her into the school. She'd pass by Kiryu, smiling at him. "You better win."

Adam began to growl, watching the two interact as he began to feel jealous. His hand began to clutch the handle of his blade. "I told Blake I was going to hunt down everyone she cared about. Now, I'm going to kill you, right in front of her."

Kiryu did the same, gripping the handle of his katana. "And I told her I'd protect everyone, now come at me... _ADAM!!"_

Both men charged at one another, letting out their roar cries just before their blades clashed tightly against one another. The long-awaited duel had finally begun.


	15. With Vengeance

Blades clashed quickly and heavily. They were swings meant to incapacitate the opponent, rather for Adam it was to _kill._

The faunus watched as both men fought ferociously, anxiety filling the crowd as they anticipated for someone to slip up and receive a hit. Ghira was scared for once, knowing he had to sit back and watch Kiryu take on the White Fang's high leader by himself. Of course he knew Kiryu declared this battle himself, but it didn't help knowing he had to sit back and watch.

The airship's spotlight kept a focus on the battle, along with a news helicopter arriving to the scene. 

_"This just in, Haven Academy appears to be under attack by the White Fang. From our observation, we can see Adam Taurus is currently in a fierce battle with someone in the crowd."_

Just by seeing the two fight, it was easy to tell how big the gap between Kiryu's and Adam's swordsmanship was. The high leader was swift, quick and efficient with his attacks. Often times breaking Kiryu's guard before he could defend himself again. As for the Dragon, he was push heavily on the defensive side.

 _"COME ON! FIGHT ME LIKE A REAL HUMAN WOULD!"_ Adam was getting sick and tired of watching Kiryu defending himself. "You wanted to fight me, didn't you? THEN STOP ACTING LIKE A COWARD AND FIGHT ME!"

With a click of the tongue, Kiryu knew he had to start being offensive. Adam wasn't letting him with how fast he was attacking, along with how heavy his hits were. This man was fast, like a eagle swooping in to catch their prey.

His eyes kept focused on Adam's pattern of attack. First it was a horizontal swing, left then right. Next came a forward thrust before he threw his sword in a circular motion. If he could just find an opening...

"I _said_ to fight me!!" The high leader was getting more agitated with Kiryu slacking on the offense. With a early forward thrust, Kiryu quickly took notice of an opening. Taking a step to the side, the Dragon swiftly moved his elbow towards Adam's jawline, finally stumbling the faunus for once. 

The faunus began to cheer, with Ghira taking a heavy breath of relief. For once, he saw Kiryu gaining the upper hand. "You can do it! Take him!" 

Heeding his words, Kiryu grabbed onto Adam's collar before thrusting his hand into the faunus' gut. Saliva and air spat out, forcing Adam to take a knee. He looked up, just in time to see the Dragon's foot connecting with his face. A loud cry came out as he flew back a few feet, struggling to pick himself back up. 

Blake returned just in time from the building to see that Kiryu was standing, while Adam wasn't. She quickly made her way around the crowd surrounding the fight, traversing until she reached her father. "How is he? Is he okay?"

"Yes dear, he was struggling at first, but he's starting to gain the advantage."

Blake felt the weight on her chest becoming lighter, watching as her lover was taking on her former lover. In a way, she felt guilty knowing this fight was a indirect result of her choices.

To hear the faunus cheering for Kiryu, it bothered Adam. To _think_ they'd applaud for a human rather than one of their own. "Why... Why are they cheering for you and not ME?!" Adam stood back up, dashing as fast as he could towards his opponent who was just standing there. Blades clashed once Adam came close in contact, only to be forced back as Kiryu took the offense.

Once he brought his sword towards Adam's enough times, the Dragon took the opportunity to move their swords in a different direction, leaving Adam's torso open. A quick kick towards him sent the faunus stumbling back, having caught Adam off guard with his maneuver. "You fight to kill and you haven't done anything to protect these faunus!"

 _"I've done more than you ever could to help the faunus!"_ Adam's voice cracked with anger, growling as he was starting to lose his patience with this man. "Don't talk to me about not protecting them. I had to fight and kill, just to force humanity to see how tired we are of their bullshit!"

"And you think murdering every human is going to solve that?" His eyes glared towards Adam, only to feel a shiver run down his spine when the faunus didn't seem to respond with anything other than a nod of agreement.

Letting out a low chuckle, the high leader grew a malicious smile. "Oh yeah... I'll kill everyone if that's what it takes. Blake, her family, all her loved ones... maybe your's too. Dragon of Dojima."

His teeth gritted from the threat he just heard. Was Adam _seriously_ thinking about hunting down the clan he was once in? "You're delusional... you wouldn't survive against the Tojo Clan."

"Don't doubt me, Kiryu. I'll murder every human that stands in my way. Starting with you." Holding his sword down, Adam's hair and katana began to glow intensely. It was odd, but Kiryu wasn't aware of the danger he was about to face.

This was bad. Very very bad. Blake stepped closer to the fight, but not enough to intrude. _"KIRYU! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!"_ She was scared, her heart beating fast and heavy. Adam's semblance was something no one should mess with, and she knew exactly why: it's purpose was to end the fight immediately.

Turning his head towards the faunus, Kiryu raised a brow before hearing Adam's roar cry. It was a fierce scream that carried the frustration he bottled inside of him during this battle, now he was venting it out through his semblance. All the times Kiryu clashed swords with him, Adam stacked the energy together in the form of a huge red wave that blew towards the Dragon, who was barely able to defend himself with his sword at the last second.

The energy he felt was enormous, blowing through him as parts of his skin ripped, blood flying out when exposed. The Dragon had to stand his ground through the attack, but couldn't manage to last long. His guard broke down, forcing his body to fly back a few feet before landing with his bare skin rubbing against the cement. 

Blake, Ghira, and everyone watched as both men were exhausted from what just happened. "N-No... get up... KIRYU GET-"

 _"rrrRRAAAGH!!"_ Adam began to dash towards the fallen opponent with his blade out in hand. Hopping into the air, the high leader brought his sword down vertically towards Kiryu who was still conscious after suffering such a heavy attack.

The Dragon knew he had to guard himself. Bringing his blade across himself, Kiryu felt the force of Adam's attack pushing his weapon too close to his face. He looked up, seeing the ruthless, bloodthristy faunus standing on top of him with his blade ready to cut his face in two.

_"Why... Why can't you just back down and die? HUH?! You're just a fucking gangster who hurts people. You're nothing special to Blake or any of these faunus, so WHY do they look up to you?!"_

Spit shot across his face when he heard those words coming from the high leader, who began pushing his sword down as hard as he could towards Kiryu. In response, Kiryu had to push his blade upwards as hard as he could, moving against Adam's force. 

The sight itself wasn't pretty. It was probably the scariest thing Blake had to watch. She felt tears building up as Adam was close to killing Kiryu, something she wanted to prevent from happening. "S-Stop... Stop! Please!"

Just before she could rush in, Blake felt her father pulling her back. "No Blake! Its too dangerous for you!"

"But he's going to kill him if I don't help!" She cried out, fearing that her father wasn't helping her.

"No he won't. Kiryu is smarter than you think he is. Look." Pointing with his finger, Ghira pinpointed how Kiryu was starting to move Adam's legs upwards in a standing position.

Blinking in confusion by what he meant, the faunus watched carefully as Kiryu moved his foot onto Adam's gut, finally pushing him overhead behind him. The scene itself made the faunus cry out in excitement. Blake dropped to her knees, clutching her hands tightly as she began to sob. Relief washed over her from watching her partner free himself from a close call to death. _"...Please... please win..."_

Panting as he was thrown overhead and onto his back, Adam groaned as he carefully stood back up to his feet, along with Kiryu. Both men had to recover their breaths after that intense clash between the two. Both circled each other, with the air blowing down their sweat from the helicopter and airships above them. 

_"Mistral News reporting in. It seems we've identified the individual in the fight against High-Leader Adam Taurus, known to be Kiryu Kazuma. He was a former contestant from the Vytal Festival Tournament that occurred months ago before the Fall of Beacon. We do not have any clue as to why he is currently fighting against Adam Taurus, but we will continue observing."_

Having caught his breath, Adam began to break the silence between the two. "You're nothing but a Yakuza... you just step on people in the end. You might've helped these faunus, but-"

"What's your point? You've already stated that I was once a yakuza."

"You're just a human. Someone like you has the privilege to get away with the things you've done without any form of punishment! You can kick any of the faunus down and no one will bat an eye! How long til you start doing it to that coward over there?!" Pointing towards Blake, Adam began to grit his teeth. He hated Kiryu. He hated how he was with Blake. He wanted to get under his skin, rile him up so he could prove his point.

Clicking his tongue, Kiryu shook his head in response. "She told me about you... how you're just some petty boyfriend who can't get over his ex. You need to move on and find someone else, Adam."

 _"DON'T. TALK TO ME ABOUT MOVING ON!"_ He cried out, only to charge forward with his hand on his handle. Just before he could unsheath his katana to cut down Kiryu, Adam watched as the Dragon was suddenly quickstepping behind him. Shadows were left behind from how fast he moved, causing Adam to turn his head with his mouth agape in shock.

Quickly kicking his back gave Kiryu enough time and breathing room to activate his semblance. That familiar blue aura appeared over him, followed by a warm flame covering the top of his shoulders. Adam didn't react fast enough when Kiryu began throwing punches at him. They were fast enough to punch Adam a few times in the chest, forcing the faunus to guard himself from how painful they felt. 

Throwing one final punch, Kiryu's fist bashed against Adam's blade, now in a tight deadlock. With all his strength, the Dragon of Dojima began pushing his fist harder against that red katana. White air surrounded his arm the harder he pushed, cracking the air around that deadlock before he broke the faunus' defense. Leaving Adam unguarded, fast fury of punches began to swing towards him from the former yakuza. Each punch carried a blue fire that burnt with every point of contact. 

Everyone watched as Kiryu began pummeling Adam left and right, faster than the faunus could react. Cheers filled the area, followed by Blake watching in both hope and fear. _"Get him, Kiryu! You can beat him!"_

 _"Come on! Put more force into it!"_ Even Ghira joined in, smiling towards his daughter as he watched Kiryu beat down the high leader.

With a loud cry, the Dragon's foot launched against Adam's face, kicking him down before his semblance deactivated. It was clear the faunus couldn't take a beating, as he stumbled to stand up. A hand wiped away the blood on his lips, followed by a loud cry of spite coming from his lungs. Adam was beginning to lose it.

He charged forward, not bothering to withdraw his sword at the last second like usual. Adam held it out, only to begin swinging it faster and stronger than usual. It startled Kiryu for a moment, who had to take out his sword earlier to guard himself. He knew he couldn't swing his blade as fast as Adam could, putting him back into the defensive.

Loud grunts came out with every swing he sent towards the Dragon. Adam wanted to slice this man in half and spit on his corpse after that humiliating moment he just took. No words came out until Adam had tired himself out, forcing him to back away as Kiryu needed a breather from the onslaught of swings he just guarded.

"Tch... why can't you just _DIE_ already?! You're just like those humans who took everything away from me! You took Blake, you took MY recognition, these faunus should be cheering for ME! NOT YOU! Why'd you have to come and ruin _everything_ , just like her?!"

Panting as he listened, Kiryu, deep down, felt pity for the man. "Adam... I'm just trying to help the faunus. I admit... I hurt people when I was in the clan... but I left and haven't hurt anyone since i joined Beacon."

For a moment, Adam calmed down as he listened. "...is that so? Then why don't you wash that stupid tattoo off your back, since you've left your clan?"

"I can't do that... its a part of me. It represents who I am... the start of what fate had in store for me... and I'm not going to get rid of it." Kiryu knew the tattoo was much more than a pretty look to show who was a yakuza. It described everything there was to know who he was as a person. "...We both want to help the faunus, we both want them to be on equal footing as humans. I know how much it hurts-"

"You don't know ANYTHING about what its like to be a faunus! You aren't treated like slaves! You aren't stopped and shot at just for being who we are! You never had to be stopped by the police simply for looking different! So _don't_ give me that bullshit about knowing what its like." 

_"I DO_ know what its like! I see it happen all the time and I see countless thugs in Kamurocho harrassing the faunus day and night! I always put a stop to it. I hear their stories, their pain... so don't think that even us humans are tired of the discrimination you faunus have to face!"

Clenching his fists tightly together, Adam shook his head. He couldn't believe the words he was hearing. Another chuckle began to come out of him. "Is that so? Then why don't you humans start killing each other, huh? That will give them the message to stop bothering the faunus."

"That doesn't solve anything! I... murder doesn't solve anything. It just divides us. Blake and I... we're now a sign that human AND faunus can unify. That we don't have to fight. Things will be easier if we just cooperate." Kiryu turned his head towards his partner, who was both blushing and crying from the words he was speaking. She couldn't help but to smile, ignoring the tears that ran down her cheeks. 

That didn't help, it only shook Adam to the core. "...then why... did she have to fucking _LEAVE ME?!"_

Crap, this wasn't going well. they were so close too.

Kiryu watched as Adam began charging at him once more, this time pulling his blade out to clash against Adam's. The two were in another deadlock, pushing against each other's sword as their teeth gritted at each other.

"She left you because you _killed_ people!"

"Killing _gets_ the message across! I'll kill you! Then her! And her entire fucking family if it stops humanity from looking down at us! You wouldn't get that because you haven't killed anyone!"

"That doesn't _help_ , you delusional bastard!"

Both men continued pushing their swords, with Kiryu taking a step back as Adam stepped forward.

"I'll go to Kamurocho, and kill _every single_ human that lives there! Men, women, even the children! I'll enslave them all, just like they did to US!"

 _"Adam..._ that won't help anyone! Not even you!"

_"YES IT WILL! You don't understand and won't until you killed somebody!"_

It was starting to piss him off. Why wouldn't he listen?!

"I swear to god... you're getting on my nerves."

_"Good... because after this is done, I'll kill every single person you ever loved and cared about. Amon told me everything to hurt you, Kiryu."_

His blood began to boil, eyes glaring towards the high leader who was hell-bent on killing humans, his city, and his loved ones. There was no way in hell he was going to fail to save his loved ones. Kiryu be damned to hell should he fail to stop Adam.

With a loud cry, Kiryu began to activate his semblance. His body glew with his blue, forcing Adam to back away when he couldn't overpower the now strengthed Dragon. He began dashing in circles around Kiryu, shadows left behind. The longer Adam ran around him, the more shadows began to appear, eventually surrounding Kiryu until no one could see him inside the shadowy circle. 

"Kiryu! Watch out! He'll strike from above!" Blake yelled out, hoping her partner could hear him. She was scared, knowing that Kiryu could easily be overpowered by Adam's speed.

Just in time, the Dragon rolled to the side, looking up to see Adam had nearly stabbed him to the ground. The faunus growled in annoyance, swinging his blade towards Kiryu who barely managed to stand and bring his sword out to defend himself. 

"You're pathetic!" Adam swung his sword to the side heavily as he could, breaking Kiryu's guard for a second. "You talk about saving the faunus but won't _kill_ your own kind to save them!" Ducking a swing Kiryu sent at him, Adam brought his blade up to slice his opponent's left arm at the skin. 

"You take Blake from me, go to the last place the faunus have on this planet!" Once more, Adam threw his sword to the side, only to aim for Kiryu's shoulder, which he barely managed to scratch. "And worst of all... _YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO CHALLENGE ME?!"_

Letting out a cry of spite, Adam threw his sword at the base of Kiryu's blade, hitting it out of his hands. Now rendered weaponless, the Dragon was put in a bad spot. He had to dodge the next few attacks the High Leader swung at him, barely getting scratched as blood leaked down his arms and biceps. Adam enjoyed the gruesome sight, seeing the blood leaking from those who took everything away from him.

Blake watched as Kiryu was now at the disadvantage, getting cut with every swing Adam threw at him. "No... no no no..." She panicked, watching in horror as her partner began to groan in pain. His semblance could only defend him before turning off, leaving his body vulnerable to Adam's attacks. She wanted to see if she could sneak in and help her partner, but felt her father's grip on her hand. "Dad?!"

Ghira didn't bother to look down at her. Instead he glared at the scene. 

"Dad, let me go! I have to save him!" 

"I'm _not_ risking your life, Blake!"

"But he's going to die if I don't help him!" 

"You _can_ help him! Tell him something you must've seen him learn that Adam doesn't know about!"

She thought for a moment, trying to recount the times she watched Komaki taught him specific techniques. There had to be one that was most powerful...

Kiryu was running out of time, now that his semblance had deactivated and his body was vulnerable. He rolled to the side as Adam brought his blade down towards the ground where he was.

"...What was it? The Parry? No... the Knockback?" She pounded her head, desperate to find the answer.

Adam charged forward, letting out a yell that rung the Dragon's eardrums as he narrowly missed an upwards swing that would've cut his left arm off.

Her ears perked up as she finally remembered the trump card they had. _"TIGER DROP HIM!"_

His eyes shot open, hearing the words that gave him the ultimate winning hand. Just as Adam was about to come close to bringing his sword across Kiryu's neck, the Dragon moved faster than one could blink.

A bright blue aura covered his right hand that immediately shot towards Adam's gut. The force pressured into that punch, at the speed of it, it knocked out every bit of oxygen Adam had in his lungs. It was a heavy attack, one that sounded disgusting to listen to, like bones being cracked. 

His body flew farther than usual, his sword landing a few feet beside him. It was over, a fight that ended the anxiety, excitement, and fears everyone felt when watching these two men clashing their swords together.

Kiryu tried to catch his breath, glaring down at Adam, who chuckled softly to himself. 

"...heh... heheheh... to think a gangster like you could beat me... a human nonetheless..." Slowly he picked himself up, taking a knee as he knew he couldn't fight anymore. "...Its true what Amon said to me... that I shouldn't underestimate you... Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan."

"..." With no words to say, Kiryu simply took a step towards the other, until Adam began chuckling once more. "The fourth chairman... Dragon of Dojima! You certainly lived up to your name, Kiryu Kazuma... but what point is there in a title like that... when you ran off to Beacon?"

Now he was getting pissed. What did Amon feed this guy? "I _didn't_ run... I... went to Beacon to do something with my life, something that doesn't involve being a yakuza."

"Is that so..? Must've been depressing when I attacked your school. Took away that second chance, didn't I?" 

Adam knew what he was doing. He was starting to dig under Kiryu's skin, and took joy in seeing how angry this man was getting. 

"That school... was my second chance... and you _fucking_ took it from me." His teeth was beginning to grind, any harder and Kiryu would break them.

Watching as the Dragon was starting to lose his cool, Adam could only laugh in amusement. "You don't know how relieving it was to cut down those students, slice off one of Blake's friends arms, and stab that coward for leaving m-"

A punch came to the high leader's face just as the Dragon released a loud yell of anger. It forced Adam onto his back, his body trying to pick himself up before a heavy kick sent him down once more with a second yell coming out of his opponent. The Dragon climbed down to pin the faunus by the shoulder, panting heavily as wrath filled his innards. Eyes glared as a memory of the Fall of Beacon came to mind, followed by his fist clenching tight to throw another rage-filled punch across the fallen faunus' face, avenging those he couldn't save.

"K-Kiryu..." Blake reached a hand out, worried that her lover may be starting to lose himself.

Remembering how Yang lost an arm trying to protect her friend, the Dragon threw another punch across Adam's face as he released a third yell of rage, an act of revenge for Yang.

"Kiryu, that's enough!" Ghira called out to him, taking a step forward towards the two.

The flashback of Blake being stabbed shook him to the core, releasing the anger he felt by throwing his fist with a longer, angrier yell that carried his vengeance towards the High Leader. This time it was stronger, staining his hand with Adam's blood.

Spitting out whatever blood Adam had in his mouth, he looked up in pain towards Kiryu, who was looking down on him, just as every human had done. He began to grit his teeth, knowing full well this man deserved to hurt just as much as Blake did, if not more.

"...is that all? You're just like every human... who's looked down on me... you're no different... than those scumbags who hurt me... you've got no choice... because if you let me go... I'll make sure everyone you love dies..."

Panting as he listened, the Dragon felt his rage building up. He knew he put himself into this mess, and he had to end it.

"...Do it... go on and kill me... otherwise I'll be sure to target Sunflower first... starting with Haruka..."

The air around him became muffled as rage took over him. Vision became red as he finally lost control. He was _not_ going to let this person hurt Haruka, the one person who he promised to protect with his life. Slowly his fist raised as it began to shake. He had to kill Adam, he _needed_ to if he wantes to protect Blake, Haruka, and all those he cared for. There was no other choice left, and he was beyond holding back his anger towards Adam.

Letting out a bloodthirsty scream that carried the weight of all his emotions, the Dragon squeezed his fist as hard as he could before lifting it up to end this faunus' life.

His body was pushed to the side as Blake tackled him to the ground. Quickly, Kiryu picked himself back up, blinking as he tried to process what just happened. Blake was on her knees before him, hugging his body tightly as she could in a manner of restraining him.

 _"Don't! Please... don't do it..."_ She choked a bit before looking up to Kiryu. Her eyes were covered in tears, having watched her lover stepping too close to the point of no return. "He _wants_ you to prove his point... you're better than that! Please... don't make everything you've done for us pointless, Kiryu..." Moving her hands up to her lover's cheeks, Blake began to caress them to calm him down.

All the anger he felt, the bloodlust, it was starting to fade away as Blake comforted him. The cold touch of her's, it soothed down his body as it was in heat from the wrath that took over him earlier. "...B-Blake..." Slowly, Kiryu began to hug the faunus, taking a breath to calm himself down as Blake wept in his embrace.

"Please... you promised me you _wouldn't_ be like him... you promised..." Deep down, she was hurt. She nearly lost Kiryu, the man who never murdered anyone. Yet Adam pushed him beyond the brink of self-control. 

He listened, nodding as he rested his forehead against the faunus'. "You're right... I'm sorry..." His voice was calm again, now filled with sorrow as he realized this was the second time he nearly murdered someone.

Sounds of feet shuffling caught Blake's attention, forcing her to pull away to see Adam running away. Sun, who had been watching from the crowd, stepped in to stop him.

"No! Sun... leave him."

"What?! But why?!"

"He's... just be grateful we didn't lose Kiryu... please..."

It was a stupid choice, but she knew she preferred to lose Adam over her lover. Her emotions were going to bite her back, but she didn't care about that. She was just glad Kiryu had won the fight, and she prevented him from crossing the line of no return.

"Blake... we can stop him! He's- agh nevermind... the dude ran off." Sun scoffed at the idea, deciding to approach the couple.

Looking up to her lover, the faunus couldn't help but to feel shaken up after everything. "I know you beat him... but he was about to drag you down to his level... that's not worth capturing Adam over..."

"...I suppose you're right..." Kiryu looked up to see Ghira and Sun standing besides them, each offering a hand to help the two to their feet.

With a smile on his face, the chieftain could only sigh in relief. "Blake's right. Its not worth killing a man over your own sanity. Plus... it would've just proven his point about you being no different. You should be grateful someone like Blake pulled you out of that mess before it was too late."

Nodding his head, Kiryu turned to Sun who held his red shirt in hand. "Here man... you might catch a cold without this." 

The man gave a smile, taking his shirt. Blake had to pull away for that moment, but resumed to holding his hand tightly. Normally she wasn't clingy, but ever since she saw this man get into more and more fights, she grew anxious knowing his life was at risk.

"So... what about Adam's team?" Looking around, Kiryu began to notice the faunus from Menagerie cheering and hugging one another. The White Fang and the remaining members were apprehended, with the help of Ilia.

"His team has been captured. And... we let Adam get away, but that's okay. Maybe he could see how it feels to be running for once." There was a look of relief on Blake's face, happy that her ex-mentor was the one who lost tonight. 

She had a point. Maybe letting Adam run off wasn't a total loss. "I suppose that's still something. Next time we see him, we'll be even stronger." Kiryu had that look of confidence on his face, despite how bloodied and injured he was.

Looking towards the school's building, a sudden shiver ran down his spine. Kiryu began to take a step towards the main lobby, wondering what was going on inside. Blake, Sun, and Ghira began to follow behind, all wondering if Majima was okay in there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL I had so much fun writing this. This was probably one of those chapters where I had to really think about what needed to be said, considering Adam's character and motivation. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, feel free to leave comments!


	16. No Turning Back

Just as Kiryu was beginning his duel with Adam, Blake led Majima to the academy's main building behind the courtyard. Inside, the faunus was shocked to see her former friends and teammates were present. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang...

For once, she felt at peace seeing they were okay. "...Yang?" Blake called out to her friend, unaware of the situation that was going on between Ruby's team and their enemies. It was unfortunate, having to see her blonde friend run as Ruby cried out for her to go into a secret elevator. Her ears dropped, knowing she couldn't get a word from her best friend.

"Oi, who the fuck are these guys?" Majima tapped the faunus' shoulder, noticing Mercury, Emerald, and Hazel were all standing across Ruby's faction.

"I-I don't know... but they may be in trouble. I hate to ask, but-"

"Yeah, I got this." The Mad Dog smiled, gesturing for her to go. "Make sure Kiryu doesn't kill himself." 

She felt relief washing over her. With a bright smile, Blake gave a nod before noticing Majima holding up a hand for a fist bump. She returned the gestured, leaving the main lobby to check on how Kiryu's duel with Adam was proceeding. 

Turning his head back towards Ruby's team and her enemies, the Mad Dog slowly made his way between the middle of the two factions. Unaware of it, Majima was stepping into a world he wasn't prepared for. "So... which of y'all are the ones helpin' Adam?"

Blinking at his words, the red-hooded girl spoke up. "I-It's them... who are you?" She didn't want to sound rude, but she wasn't sure who this man was. His eye patch, that snakeskin jacket, he definitely matched the profile of a bad guy.

"Friend of that cat girl's of your's. Guessin' your her friend?"

"Yeah... I'm Ruby... b-but you really shouldn't be here! These guys, they're not normal people." As much as she appreciated the help, Ruby didn't want the man to get hurt, if not killed, by Cinder's team.

Weiss narrowed her eyes towards Majima, who gave her an uneasy feeling in her gut. "And what's your name?"

"Goro Majima, but call me the Mad Dog of Shimano!" The man grinned, whipping out a knife before turning towards Hazel. "And I s'ppose you're the big bad bully here?"

A growl came out from the buffer man, who's eyes glared with intensity. "...Yes." His voice was distorted, given he had dust crystals injected into his arms. It was a nasty sight, one that already gave the Mad Dog some ideas.

He gazed over at Ruby's team, noticing Jaune was shielding an exhausted Ren and Nora, while Ozpin and Qrow were catching their breaths. He turned back to Ruby and Weiss, only to give a warm smile. He faced Hazel, stepping rather close to the man. 

"Mister don't-!" Fearing that Hazel was going to immediately punch the Mad Dog, Ruby blinked in surprise when Majima was quick to dodge a left swing. 

"Oi oi oi! You must be the strongest here huh? How about I take you on... you and me. One on One." Majima suggested, stepping rather too close to the man as an act of intimidation.

Emerald growled as she pointed her firearm at the Mad Dog. "I don't even know who you are, but you better leave if you-"

"Fine. I'll take you on." Hazel announced, much to everyone's surprise.

"H-Hey dude, you can't be serious. We still got those brats over there to take care of!" Mercury wasn't pleased with the idea, along with Emerald who protested with him.

Shaking his head, the larger man began to crack his knuckles. "Don't worry. You two can handle the rest of them." Much to their disapproval, Emerald and Mercury began to walk past Majima as they obeyed their orders. It was a subtle, yet favorable tactic Majima managed to slip in for Ruby and Weiss, both who noticed without saying anything. 

"Now then... don't be surprised when I start breaking your bones, Mr. Majima." Hazel stepped to one half of the open lobby, waving his hand for Majima to follow. "Now... COME AT ME!"

His voice roared, filling the inside of the lobby loudly as everyone watched. Majima dashed towards the man, sliding as he ducked from a right swing Hazel threw. Standing back up, the Mad Dog sliced at his opponent's back before taking a step away. His aura was strong, and it felt like he was just hitting his knife against a concrete wall. 

"Bet those crystals of your's are powerin' you up, like a drug junkie." He laughed, causing Hazel to turn and charge up his fists for a blast of magic. Releasing a burst of fire energy towards Majima, Hazel roared once more before he began to take the offensive. He swung his arms rapidly, each that were dodged by Majima. With a bit of an opening, the Mad Dog jumped onto his opponent's arm. 

Using his legs to lock Hazel's arm straight, the Mad Dog forced him to crash into a wall before hopping off. He dug his knife deep where one of the dust crystals were injected, blood gushing out as he began to pull out the object from Hazel's body.

"Goddamn... you're makin' a _mess!"_ Majima complained as he took out one of the four crystals Hazel had injected himself with. The man was left groaning in pain, struggling to stand for a moment before noticing the Mad Dog's foot colliding with his face, sending him rolling back a few feet.

Growling in annoyance, Hazel stood up before charging at Majima. He yelled as his footsteps shook the ground, causing the Mad Dog to stumble a bit before he was grabbed. Charged for a few feet, Hazel tackled Majima against a wall before stepping back to see the results.

It felt like a car just ran him against a wall, crushing his innards before he was given enough space to breath. Looking up, Majima blinked at the sight of the enemy preparing a fist to bash him with. It wasn't going to be a gentle punch either: it was an attack that could literally crush his skull open. Quickly twisting his upper half to the side, the Mad Dog watched as Hazel's fist blew right in front of him, punching against the wall that cracked everywhere before being blown apart.

"What the hell..." His eye was wide open, having witnessed someone stronger than Awano. He stepped away, slightly shakened from how that attack could've killed him.

Hazel turned towards the Mad Dog, letting out grunts and growls as he swung jabs and wide swings. It didn't give Majima enough time to strike in any of the openings Hazel left after every attack.

"Weiss! How is he doing?" Ruby turned towards the heiress as she was using her scythe in a deadlock with Emerald's weapons.

Currently gaining the upper hand as a summoned Grimm Lancer was attacking Mercury, Weiss gazed around the area until she spotted Majima, who was dodging every attack Hazel was throwing at him. "I-I don't know! He's still standing."

Using his sword as a means of support, Qrow tried to stand back up, only to feel Oscar setting him back down. "No! Ozpin... that guy can't take on Hazel alone..."

"No, Qrow but you can't either... you're injured." Frowning at the state of his friend, Oscar turned towards the fight the three were having, then back at Jaune's group. "Jaune, how are you three doing?"

"We're... We're doing fine!" The blonde spoke up, noticing Ren and Nora were unable to hold their weapons up to fight. Both were fatigued from their battle with Hazel earlier.

Oscar clicked his tongue, knowing that he was going to have to chip in and help Majima at some point. "Whoever you are... don't let us down." 

Majima continued to dodge Hazel's swings, until he finally grew tired of it. Ducking beneath a jab, the Mad Dog launched his leg towards the man's gut, followed by a backflip that kicked Hazel's chin. It gave him another opening as the man was lying on the floor. Before Hazel could stand back up, he yelled in pain as Majima jumped over him, digging his knife once again into his arm to remove a second crystal. 

"I'm... gettin' _real_ tired of your shit, using crystals like these is _fuckin'_ cheating!" He spat at the buffer man before yanking out the dust crystal. For now, he'd hold onto it as a means of giving Hazel a taste of his own medicine.

As he stood with arm flowing down his left arm, Hazel knew he was too injured to use his left arm. It dangled lifelessly, but he didn't care. "I don't know where you learned to fight like that... but I'll be sure to crush your body after what you did to me."

"Heh, I came from a place where I fought many men just like you, 'cept we don't stab ourselves with crystals like a fuckin' moron!"

Hazel growled in annoyance, deciding to charge forward to use his shoulder as a means of tackling Majima. It didn't work, as the Mad Dog easily slipped by and hopped onto the man's shoulders. He would shift his weight to force Hazel to charge against another wall. Grabbing the back of his head, Majima proceeded to bash Hazel's face against the wall multiple times, with blood staining the wall with every bash until he threw the man aside. 

His eyes opened wide, pupils dialating in anger as he turned towards Majima. Now Hazel was pissed, who stood back up to launch a jab at the Mad Dog's face, followed by kneeing him against the gut. Blood spat out from how hard those attacks were. They didn't compare to anything he's ever received. Hazel was true to his words. Every hit he would throw was an attempt to break Majima.

Forced back against a second wall, the Mad Dog knew what was coming up, but didn't have the energy to evade. Instead, he'd activate his semblance, a purple aura flowing around him just before he felt the fist of his enemy colliding with the side of his head, pushing it against the wall behind him that cracked. A loud cry of pain escaped the Mad Dog, who fell to the floor lifelessly.

 _"Majima!"_ Both girls cried out, having seen what just transpired between both men. It was sickening, Weiss felt like vomiting as she covered her mouth. Ruby was already in tears, eyes watering as she just witnessed a man dying before her...

...at least that was what she perceived it as until Majima stood back up, panting in pain as blood slipped down the side of his head. 

"You fuckin'... goddamn that _hurt!"_ The Mad Dog cried out, lucky for him his semblance enhanced his aura to absorb the attack, but now it was broken. Still, he was glowing purple, which gave him the upper hand.

Gritting his teeth, Hazel grew furious. "How are you not _DEAD?!"_ That attack should've killed him, so why was he standing here like it was nothing?!

Not bothering to respond, the Mad Dog whipped out his knife to begin swinging it towards Hazel. Every slash cut at the man's aura, but didn't break through. That was okay, he didn't need to break his defense, not yet. 

Once he forced Hazel against a corner, Majima pulled out the dust crystal he took earlier. It was red, likely a fire element. He launched it into the air before kicking it with his foot, quickly followed by his knife being thrown towards it. Just as the knife came in contact with the crystal, it exploded before Hazel, leaving him to be pushed back against a wall before collapsing to the ground. 

Everyone stopped to see what just happened, only to winch as Majima dug his knife into his opponent's arms for the third time.

"...what's he... doing?" Qrow watched in shock, not even sure if that was a safe idea.

"He's been removing Hazel's crystals from his arms. Its a dangerous move, yet he's been successfully doing so." Oscar, who was still controlled by Ozpin, smiled in relief, which gave the older gentleman a weight off his shoulders. 

"That guy... he's really a mad dog..."

Standing back up once more, Hazel struggled to push his body up as his left arm was too numb to move, as well as his right starting to feel the same. Panting heavily, Hazel tried to reach into his pocket for one of the many crystals he had.

"Oh _no_ you don't!" Tossing his knife into the air, Majima roundhouse kicked it before it launched into his opponent's right shoulder, rendering him unable to move. A cry came out of Hazel before dropping to his knees. Walking up to him, the Mad Dog kicked his knife even further into the man's shoulder, pushing him back onto the ground. He knelt besides the man, stepping on his right arm to keep it pinned before both hands grabbed onto the last crystal. With all his might, Majima began to pull as hard as he could, letting out a yell as he struggled to do so.

Slowly, the dust crystal began to pull out of Hazel's arm. It's bottom half stained with blood as the man was left with open wounds. All his energy was gone as soon as Majima removed the last crystal, turning towards Ruby and Weiss. "Yo! Red head!" 

Looking to where he was calling her from, Ruby turned to see Majima throwing the crystal towards Emerald and Mercury. Immediately she aimed her rifle towards the crystal, shooting a round into it. Upon impact, the crystal exploded, sending both enemies flying a few feet or against a wall. For once, they stopped fighting, giving the heroes a chance to stop and catch their breaths.

"We... did we do it?" Weiss asked, still shaken from what just happened.

With a nod, Ruby smiled before noticing Blake and Kiryu entering the lobby. "H-Hey! Are you two okay?"

"Yeah! We're fine... what about you?"

"Yeah... its all thanks to your friend over there." Ruby pointed towards Majima, which helped Kiryu pinpoint where he was at.

Noticing the Mad Dog was exhausted and kneeling besides Hazel, Kiryu began to rush towards him. He still had his shirt off, but bandages were applied after his battle with Adam. "Oi! Majima!"

"Kiryu-Chan?" His eyes perked up, looking up to see his buddy was still alive. _"Kiryu-Chan!"_ The Mad Dog shouted in glee, standing up to hug his best friend. "Oh man... I'm glad you're safe!"

"Yeah... so am I, Majima." Kiryu chuckled, deciding to return the hug. "You okay by the way?"

"Mm... yeah! I took care of this asshole, and helped these girls over here." Pointing towards Ruby and Weiss, Majima had a rather happy smile on his face.

Weiss couldn't help but to awkwardly wave at the two. "H-Hey there, Kiryu. Its been a while."

Ruby simply wiped a tear away, seeing how Kiryu and Majima came just in time to help them. "You guys... I really can't begin to thank you. You came in just in ti-"

Everyone stopped to see the elevator rising from the main staircase. Yang was there, holding the Relic of Knowledge. She smiled to see that Cinder's teammates were taken down. "Hey guys. What'd I miss?" She teased, stepping off the elevator just in time to see Qrow approaching her.

"A lot... good job fire cracker. Where's your mom?"

"She... ran off. Didn't bother to stay after we spoke."

"Well... that's okay. You still have us." Rubbing his niece's shoulder, Qrow gently took the relic Yang handed him before turning to Oscar. "Well Oz, we did it!"

Oscar was panting heavily, having returned to his normal self. 

"Oz?" 

"He's... He's resting..."

Qrow frowned, but shrugged it off. The man deserved to rest after all.

As for Blake and her friends, she watched as the three of them were hugging each other. They looked up towards the faunus, who was feeling somewhat undeserving to join in.

"Well... aren't you going to join them?" Kiryu asked, standing besides Blake as he was happy to see his former friends.

She blinked in surprise, only to see Ruby reaching her hand out. A smile appeared over her face, deciding to stay by their side from now on. Blake joined in, hugging each of her friends in front of everyone.

"...Ain't that sweet? Didn't expect to see a happy ending like this when I came to find you." Majima spoke up, facing Kiryu as he was happy from the battles they faced. 

"Its thanks to you, Majima. Without you, I wouldn't have found Komaki, nor the strength to stop Adam. I really owe you one."

"Pfft, nah... that's what friends are for, Kiryu-Chan. Now c'mon, they're your friends too. You should hug 'em."

His cheeks turned pink, looking away in embarrassment. "N-No, let them have their time..."

Looking down at his feet, a black mist began to move around him. He blinked in confusion, only to look up to see the mist moving towards where the fallen enemies were. There, the black mist began to form into one huge pile, forming what appeared to be a woman with white skin, red eyes, and black veins popping out across her face. 

"...what the he-" Before Kiryu could finish the words, his heart stopped upon hearing the loudest ear-piercing scream he's ever heard. His body fell back to the ground, letting out a scared yell as everyone seemed to react the same way. Watching as this ghost flew towards them, Kiryu shielded himself before the figure vanished completely. He was shaking, lowering his arms to see everyone was just as horrified as he was.

"O-Oi! What the _fuck_ was that?!" Majima cried out, his voice cracking as he nearly pissed himself.

Standing up, Qrow caught his breath before approaching the two men. "That... was Salem. An illusion, but an accurate one." He offered a hand to both Kiryu and Majima before pulling them both back up to their feet.

Blake stood up, immediately rushing towards her partner as she never seen him that scared before. Yang glanced over at her, narrowing her brows at the two. "K-Kiryu... are you okay?"

"I...yeah..." He struggled to catch his breath, not sure who the hell Salem was, and why she looked so... horrifying. 

Majima took the time to breath as well, only to notice Hazel and his goons had ran off during that illusion. "Tch... bunch of pussies..."

"Well... we got what we needed, and the school is saved. I think we all earned ourselves a rest." Qrow announced, holding up the relic as a means of victory.

Though everyone cheered for the victories they achieved tonight, Kiryu felt... off. That relic, something about it told him there was something _much_ bigger at play here, but asking it would bring too many questions.

"Come on everyone, let's clean up this mess and grab some food on the way out!" Nora announced as she picked up her hammer, followed by everyone else agreeing.

Turning towards him once again, Blake began to rub her lover's arms. "I guess... we can finally relax. I bet you're tired, aren't you?"

"Yeah... I could take a nap right now-"

"Then _allow_ me to join you, Kiryu-Chan!" Majima wrapped his arm around the Dragon's shoulders, giggling as he began to tug him away from Blake, who was happy enough to let him go. She turned to see her friends, all who raised a brow at her. 

Weiss had a hand on her hip, lips pursed as she questioned the intimacy between her and Kiryu. "Are you two..?

Her cheeks turned pink, realizing she didn't tell her friends earlier. "Y-Yeah! We started two months ago..." Her shoulders shrugged only, to receive mixed reactions from her former teammates. Weiss was embarrassed, while Ruby was giggling in excitement. Yang though... that would be a heavy topic to discuss with her. She was her best friend after all, whom she ran away from.

As for the others, Jaune, Ren, Nora, and Qrow walked besides the two ex-yakuzas outside of the academy. "Now, I'm guessing you both have a lot of questions regarding what this thing is, but you both have to make a promise if you want to hear the answers." Qrow spoke up as they walked, stopping as Kiryu and Majima turned towards him.

"Is it... something heavy?" Kiryu asked, raising a brow at the older gentleman.

With Qrow nodding, he gave out a sigh, "Much more than you think... I've seen how your buddy here fought. He took on Hazel alone, that must tell me he's pretty strong to handle whatever comes out way. Now... I don't know about you, but I'm guess you two are best friends, right?"

Majima snickered, hands on his hips as he heard the compliment Qrow gave him. "Hell yeah we are! Kiryu just took on Adam alone."

"Adam? Adam Taurus of the White Fang?"

"Yep!"

"Wow..." Qrow's eyes opened up more as he faced Kiryu. Who knew a normal looking guy could take on the noticeable figure of the extremist organization. Then again, Qrow wasn't aware of _who_ these two men were. "Alright... I'll tell you two what we're doing. I normally don't want outsiders knowing about this, but after tonight... you two probably deserve to know. Do you promise to come with us?"

Both men faced each other, then back at Qrow. In unision, they nodded. "Yes."

With a look of appreciation on his face, Qrow felt a small weight coming off his chest from these two outsiders. "Heh, alright then. What you two are going to help us with, is saving the world from Salem."

Their eyes opened up, not realizing what they just signed up for. Kiryu blinked in confusion, gazing at the relic in Qrow's hand. To think he was about to go from being a former yakuza, to a savior of the world Kiryu took a deep breath in, realizing fate had brought him here to this point. "...guess there's no turning back now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you enjoyed this story as much as I have! Its been a blast to write this crossover. There's more to come, so keep an eye out! Thank you for reading this far, you guys are the best!


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